Special Needs Classes in Public Schools

“No Child Left Behind”?

Special needs children are being left behind. Every year there is an assessment for each child, which determines their learning abilities. Though the results show that each child has a different capacity to learn, they are being taught on the same level. I know this from a personal experience; since my brother is in a special needs class, and I have assisted the ‘special needs’ class at my school a few times.
The ECE children who are more capable in understanding the assignments in their grade level are being held back from their fullest potential. The children, whose mental or physical disabilities divert them from learning, are also being pushed aside. This is not necessarily the teachers’ fault however each teacher has his/her own teaching style based on the core curriculum.
These children learn current events, basic math, reading, and writing skills, and occasionally take educational fieldtrips. They are also involved in some sort of physical education class, and arts/music class. Some may ask: If these children are taking the same classes as others students, then what is the big deal?
The issue is that the specific curriculum is not on the level of that in which other students are being taught. Obviously these special needs students are in a special needs class for a reason. Some of them learn a little slower than the average student; some of them have behavioral problems, and some have extreme physical/mental problems.
Does that make them incapable of comprehending facts, statistics, and numbers? No it does not. For instance; my brother is in an LD/BD class at his middle school. He has seizures, misbehaves, and has trouble paying attention. He has other medical deterrents that have not yet been diagnosed. Although he may seem a little different to newcomers, he is just like everyone else. He likes girls, plays sports, and watches WWE wrestling. He is like any other teenage boy, except his maturity level has not quite caught up to his age. As far as intelligence, he is truly one of the smartest self taught people I’ve ever met. He has read many different books about dinosaurs and other animals; and he is almost like an encyclopedia,(You say one ‘keyword’, and he can tell you all about it). If he didn’t take the initiative to read these different books, he might not know what he knows. He is also being taught on about a 5th grade level in the 8th grade; because the teachers have a classroom of students who, as previously stated, have different learning abilities.
My point is that each child needs individual attention. Of course there are not enough Special Education teachers to provide such one-on-one training. That is where my proposal comes in.
I propose that the board of education create specific categories or ‘levels’ of classes. Each child will go through an annual assessment that will determine which level he/she will be in. This is not unlike the current Comprehensive, Honors, and Advanced classes already instituted in Jefferson County Public Schools. If schools can provide this type of program to their ‘average’ students, then why have they not provided one for their students who actually need the help? There is no reason.
According to the ‘American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education’ there is a striking shortage of minority special education teachers. This apparently is a problem, because “A quality education requires that all students be exposed to the variety of cultural perspectives that represent the nation at large. Such exposure can be accomplished only via a multiethnic teaching force”. If the excuse is that there is a shortage of Special Education teachers then I’ve already solved their problem.
By creating an organized program, they will find that the situation is much easier to solve than they assume. For instance, if there are specific levels/classes for each student; and each student’s individual needs are understood, it will be less difficult to find special needs teachers. This is, because students won’t just be thrown in a classroom of chaos. Teachers will actually be able to focus on the important curriculum.
By just ignoring the situation, these children are being ignored. These children are being thrown into the real world without the skills they needs to be successful in life. Yes it is true that some of the students are so physically or mentally challenged that they may never be able to live completely on their own, but that’s why this program must start from the day they are born.
There is a program called KYSIGNAL (Kentucky State Improvement Grant for Nurturing All Learners). This program has 8 goals:
Increase access to the general curriculum through Universal Design for Learning (UDL)
Increase access to the general curriculum through Collaborative Teaching
Improve student results through improved Instructional Climate
Increase the number of highly qualified Minority Special Education Teachers
Increase the instructional capacity of Kentucky’s Para-educators
Improve Secondary Transition Outcomes
Increase the number of qualified special educators in Early Intervention Programs; IECE
Increase Parent Involvement

However, I do not believe that this program is a complete success. I have shown you personal proof of that; and truly all the statistics in the world cannot beat a first hand experience.
The JCPS Board of Education is responsible for all of its students. So not only should they implement the above proposal, but they should also provide other programs for special needs children who have not yet began school. These ‘programs’ could go along with the “3-year-old” school, and all early education schools already provided by JCPS. If these students are given the necessary attention and training at an early age, they will more than likely be more capable of handling the curriculum and real world issues that come at a later age.
These students cannot continue to be left behind simply because they have certain disabilities that others may not want to accept. So please support my proposal and help these children become the best people they can be.