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Enhancing Special Education: Framework for Future Success and Stakeholder Engagement

The MAARSE Update Framework outlines essential reforms in special education (SE) to meet rising expectations and improve outcomes for students with disabilities (SWD). Phase I of the project emphasizes the engagement of various stakeholders, including parents, to foster achievement and independence in SE. Key issues identified include personnel challenges, service delivery efficacy, siloed systems, regulatory complexities, funding inconsistencies, and the need for modernized administrative practices. The findings highlight the importance of collaboration among educational institutions and the necessity for radical changes to better serve students.

danielle-mcdonald
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Enhancing Special Education: Framework for Future Success and Stakeholder Engagement

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  1. MAASE UPDATEFramework for the Future Project: Phase I December 12, 2007

  2. Review of Background & Purpose • Era of increased expectations • Many previous efforts toward reform • Commitment to actively engage with stakeholders

  3. Beliefs • SE must be proactive and promote achievement leading to adult independence and positive post-school outcomes for SWD • SE systems design must be supported by state and local implementation of policy and procedures • SE must embrace parents as partners in their child’s education

  4. Activities Completed

  5. Top Issues: Personnel • Definition • Challenges in recruitment & retention • Endorsements driven by state’s categorical eligibility • Ancillary service personnel obligated to certification criteria of professional organizations

  6. Top Issues: Personnel • Survey results • 96% of all respondents=critical • 76% of middle school administrators = important.

  7. Top Issues: Personnel • Findings • Educator training programs must keep pace • IHEs need to collaborate • Continuing education needs to reflect current best practice

  8. Top Issues: Service Delivery • Definition • Implementation of programs & services birth through age 25 based on categorical distinctions

  9. Top Issues: Service Delivery • Survey results • 96% of all respondents=critical • 75% of elementary principals = critical

  10. Top Issues: Service Delivery • Findings • Responses were identical to task force Final report of 1994 • Cooperative services with general ed, other agencies and community services

  11. Top Issues: Service Delivery • Findings (con’t) • Radical change of service delivery is necessary • Assessments should inform teaching & learning • Flexibility in service delivery options • Rules should not limit options • System needs to be simpler • Students 21-26 should have flexibility for transitioning • Easy transition in and out of SE • Need for radical change to meet student needs

  12. Top Issues: Silo System • Definition • “silos” operate independently of each other • Extend beyond education

  13. Top Issues: Silo System • Survey results • 83% of all respondents=critical • 69% of high school administrators = important

  14. Top Issues: Silo System • Findings • Silo systems were created and are driven by funding • Create problems of ownership of all students

  15. Top Issues: Regulations • Definition • Federal and State rules & regulations

  16. Top Issues: Regulations • Survey results • 91% of all respondents identified excessive and/or conflicting regulations =critical

  17. Top Issues: Regulations • Findings • SE system is over-regulated • Conflicting sets of regulations create barriers • Some regulations have outlived their usefulness

  18. Top Issues: funding • Definition • SE expensive and under-funded

  19. Top Issues: Funding • Survey results • 97% of all respondents = critical • 80% of attorneys = critical

  20. Top Issues: Funding • Findings • Every subgroup indicated that federal full funding is needed • Concerns about real and perceived separate funding streams • Funding discrepancies between individual school districts and between ISD/RESAs

  21. Top Issues: Funding • Findings (con’t) • Decisions are made without the basis of law or best practice • Significant confusion about the SE funding process • Cost/benefit does not support the money spent • Non-special rules drive up the cost

  22. Top Issues: Administration of SE • Definition • Administration of SE increasingly complex and legalistic

  23. Top Issues: Administration of SE • Survey results • 93% of all respondents = critical

  24. Top Issues: Administration of SE • Findings • Administrators need to increase skills that will lead to more productive relationships with parents • Administrators need to build collaborative relationships within the educational system

  25. Top Issues: Administration of SE • Findings (con’t) • Administrators need skills for district level leadership • Compliance driven system diverts attention from leadership to management

  26. Top Issues: SE Paperwork • Definition • Documentation required to meet mandates

  27. Top Issues: SE Paperwork • Survey results • 88% of all respondents = critical • 60% attorneys & 68% of parents or advocates = critical TRUST IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN PAPERWORK

  28. Top Issues: SE Paperwork • Findings • Decrease in paperwork is needed • Use technology to simplify and streamline • State level leadership to unify paperwork

  29. Top Issues: Data Management • Definition • Multiple systems • Various data entry and reporting systems • Distributed between local, intermediate and state agencies

  30. Top Issues: Data Management • Survey results • 84% of all respondents = critical • 96% of superintendents & 94% of SE administrators = important

  31. Top Issues: Data Management • Findings • Central state source for all data • Training and information on data management

  32. Top Issues: Attitudes & Beliefs • Definition • Belief that having a disability minimizes capabilities and results in lowered expectations • Many educators unsure of their roles and responsibilities

  33. Top Issues: Attitudes and Beliefs • Survey results • 91% of all respondents = critical • 71% of elementary administrators = critical

  34. Top Issues: Attitudes & Beliefs • Findings • Teachers need to believe all students can learn and teach all with high expectations • Training for general education and special education to foster cultural shift

  35. Top Issues: Attitudes & Beliefs • Findings (con’t) • Implement best practices and data driven decision making • Special Education is a service, not a place

  36. Top Issues: Systemic Change • Definition • Potential barriers to the implementation of any change

  37. Top Issues: Systemic Change • Survey results • None collected; topic emerged from interviews

  38. Top Issues: Systemic Change • Findings • System will tend to resist change • Change will require coordinated efforts

  39. Summary • Immediate need to: • Engage all stakeholders • Establish comprehensive vision • Proceed with an articulated plan • Identify strategies, goals and timeline • Identify research based models implemented in other states

  40. Summary • Stakeholders interviewed support further efforts and offered continued engagement • Responsibility for leadership rests with MAASE • SE administrators are the education advocates • SE administrators are in pivotal position as steward of resources • SE administrators bear the daily impact of the systemic issues

  41. Recommendations • Move forward • With clearly defined agenda • Create comprehensive new vision • Align with the beliefs • Provide the foundation of reform efforts • Address all of the issues • Work in phases

  42. Responsible Reform • If not now……when? • If not MAASE…who? Children, parents, educators of Michigan cannot continue to wait!

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