Special Education Program Location
Committee Minutes
November 24, 2014
Start Time: 4:25
Welcome from Rita Reandeau, the Director of Special Education and Committee Chair –
Reintroductions of Members
Opened meeting asking if anyone had observations they wanted to share from the last meeting.
Susan Casebolt – Observations from last meeting – Self Contained %
Below is the % of special education students in each building after program placement.
Building
OL
OH
MR
MAN
HCE
EPO
% of Sped Students
7%
8%
2%
3%
4%
4.5 %
Below is the % of special education students that reside in their boundary before placement in special
education programs in the district.
Building
EPO
SG
SS
OH
BG
HCE
OL
MAN
% of Sped
2.5 %
3%
3%
5%
4%
2%
Less than 1 %
4%
1
The committee then entered into a discussion regarding what is the appropriate percentage of special
educations students in a building.
Highlights of discussion:
Lisa Fundanet – She is concerned about maintaining the proportion between Gen Ed and Special Ed in
classrooms. The committee should be mindful in that we are not moving the problem around the
district.
Proportionality – Making sure that the population of students are equal to all – so that the sped ed
students are not impacting the gen ed students in their learning experience and to take into
consideration the impact on the teacher as well. What is the target proportionate % for sped/gen ed
teachers? Lisa sited a website that she found – “% of sped education students in classroom should
mirror the community population”.
Rita – Some buildings choose to “cluster/grouping” their sped students so that choice of servicing may
impact a teacher more. Also to take into account RR/LS/KIT - the impact from each special education
student will be different for each.
Penny – Mentioned that a student’s behavior should also be something to consider in regard to the
impact and to also recognize that each student’s behavior will be different and hard to predict?
Callie – Brought up an example of a general education teacher who had a certain amount of % of special
education students in her class and went to the union due to the impact on her work load. Recognizing
that at some point a gen education teacher needs support if they have a higher % of special education
students. What does the contract say? Rita- It doesn’t address it.
Susan – General education teachers do get help when life skills students are included with peer
classrooms. They typically come with a para and it does count for their class size and overload, if
applicable. There is a tradeoff between life skills and general education teachers throughout the day
and some teacher’s welcome it.
Tour started at 4:50
Cedar Heights was built to be an “open concept” type of classrooms and building. There are very few
doors on classrooms and they typically only have partitions to separate them. Some challenges for
Cedar Heights are the ADA requirements needed, the building has several different levels and steps and
the number of restrooms in the building.
Toured two classrooms on the first floor, room #303 and room #304. They are both located next to the
elevator. Room #303 has several stoves on one side of the room and the other side has student tables
and chairs. It is a very large room. Room #304 is a large room with student tables and chairs. However,
this room shares a door to the gym so there may be noise associated with that. However, it was a large
room.
There is a boy’s restroom and 2 locker rooms near these classrooms. Not sure if these would work for
both genders and if they could be changed to meet the needs and ADA requirements. What would the
cost be?
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The closest restrooms for these two classrooms were down the hall, located near the lunch room. The
concern with these restrooms was the width of the doors and making sure they meet the ADA
requirements. What would the cost be?
The elevator close to room #303 and #304 opens up in a science classroom below. There is a door on
this classroom and has four walls but no windows. There is a door that adjoins this classroom to the
computer lab that holds the network. It does not have any windows. It does have a door that leads to
the outside. There was concern by some of the group that the open duct work in these classrooms
would not be a good fit for some students due to the noise they made.
The group then moved to the special education Resource Rooms.
Room #104 – It was a classroom with four walls and a door. It also held two side rooms in the classroom
that each had a door.
Room #108 – it was smaller than room #104 with four walls and a door. There is a back storage area as
well as an office space that holds three staff members (very tight).
It was mentioned that there is an elevator on this side of the building, by the library, but there are
several steps and the discussion around this was that there was not enough space to build a ramp due
to the ADA requirements for a ramp.
Resume Meeting at 5:15
Tour Observations - Discussion
Callie- The committee has to decide on Tiers or track for LS movement before we consider if and who to
move. Also need to consider the sensory issues for students when considering which classrooms to use
in a building. Cedar Heights could be doable for a certain program type. For example, higher
functioning students – AAA?
Susan – Thinks it’s important to keep all the tracks together for continuity for students across their
school years.
Calle – Tier 3 – not many go out in general education classrooms, therefor the continuity is not that
important.
Penny – It works at Hidden Creek to have multi disabled levels in one classroom. The opportunity to
learn from higher functioning students is valuable.
Shelby – Gap grows wider as you get older and the gaps become wider between the students ability for
life skills students. Often life skills student peers, as they get older, create a sense of “family” in their
school environment.
Abbie – Orchard Heights KIT rooms feed into Marcus Whitman Junior Hight KIT program. Time out
rooms at MWJH have no doors – it uses a different format. They provide a space/area. High school has
even less in regard to time out rooms.
Tom – BG has ADA challenges. Library and Playground is not accessible.
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Rita – Manchester – is that an option to relieve OH? We had classrooms there before.
Sunnyslope/Sidney Glen/Burley Glenwood – consider for Long term plan?
Theresa – Add administrative help for short term plan at Orchard Heights. Eliminates moving and
moving programs over and over.
Stephanie – Look at future growth and needs for programs. Inclusion K and aging up and for next year.
An option that was given was between Manchester and Orchard Heights: reduce 4 to 2 (OH) programs
and increase (MAN) 1 to 3 = 11% unless there is a boundary change.
Next Meeting is next Monday, December 1, 2014 at the District Office in the Board Room.
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OSE will get % by each building.
Reminding the members that the group needs to come up with a short term (relieving OH) and
long range plan
Next meeting is a discussion only meeting.
What programs CAN or CAN NOT move? Building ADA?
How does IB impact Buildings?
Homework – Each ask 3 teachers at your building what their tipping point is? Resource/Life Skills/KIT in
their classrooms.
Meeting adjourned at 5:45
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