Olivia Raynor’s Post

In reading the news coverage on the Center for Learner Equity's work in NOLA this week, I’ve had the opportunity to reflect on how and why this approach is so well-done. Some of the most innovative changes in serving students with disabilities come from incorporating successful models, ideas, and developments from other areas. This approach doesn’t reinvent the wheel but rather strengthens the foundation at a systemic level. I've always found the concept of "reinventing the wheel" in education somewhat off-putting. If you think about it literally, a wheel making a full circle means the top and bottom keep swapping places in a never-ending cycle. This cycle doesn’t address the space in between, which in special education is ensuring that leaders are well-equipped to design and run schools designed to serve all students rather than leaving the responsibility of serving students with disabilities to special education teachers and service provider alone (i.e. the need for centralization and for leadership pipeline programs to have special education components). The centralization efforts in NOLA will provide the school system there with a stronger foundation to ensure that all students are served well. Great work, Center for Learner Equity - Jennifer Coco. & Kate McElligott!

Join us on August 15 at 1pm ET for "Improve Learning Environments for Students with Disabilities: Breaking the Mold for Better Outcomes" with Marshall Street Initiatives Free CE credits available.  Register today: https://lnkd.in/g687WrMa As another school year begins, now is the time to reimagine how to support equitable outcomes for students furthest from opportunity. The Networked Improvement Community for Students with Disabilities brought together 10 school networks to improve education for historically underserved students. Using the tools of continuous improvement — the science of getting better at getting better — leading researchers, content experts, and educators developed more than 20 evidence-based practices that show early evidence of impact for Black and Latino students with disabilities experiencing poverty.  Join Marshall Street and practitioners from Summit Public Schools and Green Dot Public Schools to explore essential strategies to improve collaboration between special education and general education teachers and elevate data-driven interventions. These practices can improve learning experiences, environments and outcomes for students with disabilities – and help build stronger schools for all students.

In OSEP’s October 2023 Update, Director Williams highlights the importance of new developments, such as the Comprehensive Transition and Postsecondary Programs for college programs for students with disabilities. Learn more here: https://lnkd.in/eFXrWntz 

This coming Tuesday, Oct. 24th, don't miss your chance to see my FREE webinar for Association on Higher Education And Disability -"Understanding Shifting Laws in College Transition for Students with Disabilities," where I'll provide a detailed look at the laws in place and how they lead to changes in the disability accommodations system at college, including what accommodations are typically available. If you work with college-bound students with disabilities, you need to know how things change at college, and your students and their families need to know, too. Register here: https://lnkd.in/e6WZRQ7C Contact me for a flyer with information on this and the next two webinars in the series. Children's Health Council Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) National Association for College Admission Counseling IECA Independent Educational Consultants Association National Association of School Psychologists American School Counselor Association International Dyslexia Association Learning Disabilities Association of America CHADD (Children and Adults with ADHD) #StudentAccessibility #LearningDisabilitySupport #DyslexiaAwarenessMonth

This is important information and should be discussed with key stake holders, school administrators and teachers! Please download the full policy on inclusion in early childhood programs

I am honored to present my passion research which is on suspension and expulsion in a training with early childhood educators in Caswell and surrounding counties on the topic: Suspension and expulsion: What’s happening? This training is designed to delve deeper into culturally developmentally age-appropriate behaviors and present researched based strategies/techniques to eliminate and/or reduce the suspension/expulsion of primarily Black children. The following is research data shows the disproportionate number of children suspended (Civil Rights Data Collection, 2017-2018): Black preschool students accounted for 18.2% of the total preschool enrollment but received 43.3% of one or more out-of-school suspensions, Black preschool students were expelled at rates that were more than twice their share (38.2%) of total preschool enrollment (18.2%); and 7% of the nation’s 1.5 million preschoolers were children with disabilities serve under Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and were expelled at rates 2.5 times greater than their share of the total preschool population. Yes, I am working diligently to reduce and/or eliminate the suspension/expulsion of Black children so they will become productive citizens in adulthood. I forward to where the above statistical data will not be a part of the conversation or narrative of Black and brown children along share their successes. Knowledge is powerful towards being an agent of social justice change through ACTION. Increased knowledge brings increased responsibility. #drbkw

The U.S. Departments of Education and Health and Human Services released a revised policy statement in November regarding the inclusion of children with disabilities in early childhood programs. Read the full statement here: https://ow.ly/6uvV50QoWH0 Policy Statement Highlights: ✏️ Reiterates the expectation for inclusion in high-quality early childhood programs ✏️ Sets the expectation that inclusion continues as children transition into elementary school ✏️ Continues to increase public awareness and understanding of the latest science that supports the inclusion of children with disabilities in early childhood programs from the earliest ages

Again after a year "It’s not special, it’s segregation" is a critical perspective on special education that argues against the separation of students with disabilities into distinct programs. This viewpoint emphasizes that such separation often results in social isolation, preventing these students from forming meaningful relationships with their peers in regular classrooms. Additionally, labeling students as needing "special" education can stigmatize them, negatively affecting their self-esteem and how they are perceived by others. Segregation in education also frequently leads to unequal opportunities, with students in special education often not receiving the same quality of instruction or resources as those in mainstream education. Furthermore, it highlights the lack of inclusivity in such a system, where an inclusive education aims to integrate all students, regardless of their abilities, into regular classrooms. Advocates for inclusive education argue that all students benefit from a learning environment that reflects the diversity of the real world. They believe that with proper support, students with disabilities can thrive in mainstream classrooms alongside their peers, promoting a more inclusive and equitable society.

Equal and equitable opportunities to learn and participate in general education with support are essential for improving performance on assessments, graduation outcomes, and closing achievement gaps. Historically, students with disabilities have been marginalized from general education which further perpetuates marginalization in society at large. When students with disabilities experience opportunity gaps in accessing general education curriculum, there is an increased risk of achievement gaps. Students who are segregated from general education often lack opportunities to develop the academic, social, and emotional skills taught and modeled in general education settings. There are numerous studies that have concluded that education in a separate setting for students with disabilities has not reduced the achievement gap, and inclusion has many benefits for both students with and without disabilities.

This article is a wake up call! ❓How do staff members talk about students with disabilities at your school? ❓How do you support students with disabilities OUTSIDE of academics? ❓How well-versed is your leadership team in individual students needs? ❓ How do you build up students with disabilities? “ Since the 3rd grade, Helena’s fathers have made a one-pager for each of her teachers that describes her instructional and testing accommodations, her goals for the school year, and her personal interests. (Helena is a big fan of Harry Styles.)” Helena and her fathers went above and beyond to ensure her teachers were up-to-date on her needs, but they shouldn’t have to. As special education admin, our jobs expand beyond just compliance, we must equip our staff with the information to proactively support students based on their needs, not waiting for something to happen. Are you ready to shift your SPED department’s responses from reactive to proactive to save time and increase capacity? Let’s connect: https://lnkd.in/eiJ_BPZX Article Link: 🔗 https://lnkd.in/eUpvpm3A