June 2018 Newsletter

The Center for Learner Equity’ Tune for June

June 28, 2018

Organizational Growth

The Center for Learner Equity is excited to welcome a talented summer intern to support our work on behalf of students with disabilities.

Andie Tate is currently a second year law student at Loyola University New Orleans College of Law, and she is hoping to pursue a career in Education Law. She received her bachelor’s degree in Political Science and History from Texas A&M University. While attending Texas A&M University, she was involved with a six-week program called Summer European Academy, where she studied the history and current political environment of the European Union while traveling through Germany, Poland, Belgium, and France. In addition to working with The Center for Learner Equity, she is currently working with the Supreme Court of Louisiana as an intern with Justice Greg Guidry for the summer.

The Center for Learner Equity is pleased to announce the beginning of the search for its Director of Communications, who will lead the creation and execution of a comprehensive internal and external communications strategy to maximize The Center for Learner Equity’ profile and impact. Read more about the position and how to apply here.

The Center for Learner Equity on the Road

Senior Fellow Paul O’Neill, NJSEC Executive Director Mark Rynone, and Program Specialist Stephanie Lancet attended the National Alliance’s Annual National Charter Schools Conference in Austin, TX. The Center for Learner Equity team hosted a luncheon focused on key issues in special education, co-presented a session with AIR focused on data-driven change, and facilitated a session focused on Promising Practices adopted by KIPP Houston, Democracy Prep, and the Neighborhood Charter School of Harlem.

Congratulations to DSST Public Schools for winning the Broad Prize for Excellence at the Conference! Checkout our profile on DSST’s Cole High School, a The Center for Learner Equity Center of Excellence, and its work education students with disabilities.

Stephanie attended the New York Special Education Collaborative’s Annual Conference “The Intersection of Equity and Inclusion: Cultivating a Community of Change Agents,” kicked-off with a keynote speech from Gloria-Ladson Billings, who pioneered work inCulturally Relevant Pedagogy.

The Center for Learner Equity will soon begin its work with UNC’s Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute, focused on building its seminal center on State Implementation and Scaling Up of Evidence-Based Practices (SISEP). Lindsay Coker, Program Specialist, attended the SISEP Active States Forum in Madison, Wisconsin to learn more about how SISEP partners with state education agencies to implement best practices in the field of special education. We look forward to working with SISEP to engage with our CMO Network in order to more thoughtfully and effectively implement evidence-based practices around special education in charter schools.

The Center for Learner Equity is partnering with Mathematica on their evaluation of IDEA and assisting with a brief regarding special education in the charter sector examining policy factors that influence enrollment and service provision.

The Center for Learner Equity Resources and Publications

Checkout our recently-released resource, “Building Capacity to Provide Quality Special Education Services and Supports: A Toolkit of Emerging Best Practices and Opportunities for Charter Support Organizations.”

In The 74, Executive Director Lauren Morando Rhim wrote about how Minnesota’s common sense approach to school discipline policy can serve as a model for other states. Lauren also asserted the fairness of the U.S. Department of Education’s regulations surrounding this issue of disproportionate identification and discipline in this Real Clear Education article.

The Center for Learner Equity Statement on Separation of Families

“What is getting lost in the tragedy of children being separated from their parents is the serious health impact on kids, both in the short-term and long-term. This is particularly concerning for students with disabilities, as research indicates that early trauma can impact children’s learning, behavior, and relationships. While there appears to be movement towards changing the current policy that separates families, we have to keep the pressure on to ensure that the top priority moving forward is to protect the well-being of all children. Families have been hurt and in addition to ensuring that this type of situation never happens again, we have to make sure that families are reunited immediately and children get the support they need to recover from the trauma they’ve experienced due to the ill-advised actions of the U.S. government.”

To learn more about the impact of trauma – and specifically of forced separation – on children’s health, read here.

Special Education News

The New York State Board of Regents, which controls all aspects of public education in the state, has sued SUNY to prevent them from implementing regulations that would allow SUNY-authorized charter schools to create their own teacher credentialing standards.

Recently released National Assessment of Education Progress (NAEP) scores indicate that the country has a long way to go before achieving the goals of Endrew F. v. Douglas County School District.

The Douglas County School District has paid $1.32 million to settle this landmark special education case brought by a couple who sought reimbursement for their son’s education at a private school for students with autism.

In a private meeting, Secretary DeVos’ Deputy not only affirmed that the Trump administration’s plan to rescind school discipline guidance is unnecessary, but also that such a move could harm vulnerable children.

The National Center for Learning Disabilities recently brought together a panel of experts to discuss the importance of self-advocacy skills and self-determination in personalized learning.