Special Education Study
Work Team Minutes

March 30, 2005

Our Goal:

A strategic approach to developing a Special Education Instructional Model for resource and BI services

Enduring Understandings

A system approach helps to show alignment of program curriculum, assessments, and effective instructional practices
Quality instruction is essential for the success of all students in the system

Essential Questions:

How do Special Education services specifically support Goal one of the strategic plan?
What can we learn by understanding IDEA, exploring effective models, and examining current research?

Outcomes:

• Updates and Information:
  • Share LOOP OUT information
  • Update TRACKING of our LOOPING OUT
• Brief sharing of VISITATION PROCESS
• Finalizing the EXTERNAL VISITATION questions
• KNOWLEDGE BUILDING: Debrief reading assignments
• Continuing our INVESTIGATIONS and drafting EMERGING UNDERSTANDINGS
• ASSIGNMENTS Reading and Research

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Agenda Items:

1) Welcome, Review of Outcomes for today's meeting, Introduction of special guests

Lisa Murphy - Peggy Slotvig's student teacher from Eastern Washington University

2) Inclusion Activity - What kind of shoe am I?

Team members were invited them to share what type of shoe they feel like at this moment in time.

3) LOOPING OUT

Members were polled to determine if additional loop outs had been done since our last meeting. Some concerns and feedback that have surfaced include:

• Will the work team be able to complete the study in the anticipated time frame?
• The principals would like an opportunity to see and discuss the study team results before they go to the Directors.
• Counselors appreciate the updates and seem to have trust in the process
• Communication between Special/General Education – we need more communications to include General Education–so that General Ed staff understands the work of this study and how it includes them
• Building principals are responsible for looping information out to their own staffs.
• How will professional development and new or changed expectations be delivered? 
• Some administrators are wondering how changes might impact staffing for the fall.

Will this address those kids who CAN’T pass the WASL, who really need to be in special ed?

Loop out TRACKING sheet was updated

4)  Brief sharing of in-district VISITATION PROCESS:

Team members shared experiences related to the process for site visitations and suggested procedures for successful information gathering and note-taking.

In was noted that General Ed staff members have participated with the school team at approximately half of the site visits.

5)  Finalizing the EXTERNAL VISITATION questions Partners reviewed and suggested revisions to the questions and process for identifying external sites worthy of a visitation.

6)  KNOWLEDGE BUILDING: Debriefing readings and research

7)  Continuing our INVESTIGATIONS and drafting EMERGING UNDERSTANDINGS:

Research teams met, shared articles and information and generated more questions.  Some emerging understandings include:

• ALL teachers, general and special education would benefit from training
• Best classroom practices includes determining the student's needs.

8)  ASSIGNMENT:
        Team members were asked to read at least 2 of the 4 articles made available by the team leaders, as well as to continue their research for their investigation team.