a full services professional development firm
Virtuoso Education Consulting customizes its services to meet the unique needs of individual districts and schools. We are able to customize our trainings by first working with a district or individual school to determine strengths and identify needs as indicated by school wide and student level data. Together, we determine the best plan of action to ensure you get solutions and see results.
Been cited for indicators 4,9 or 10! We can help
First, what is Significant Disproportionality
Significant Disproportionality is over-representation of minority students identified with a learning disability or other type of disability under the IDEA. When a minority group's numbers in special education are statistically higher than they should be, they are considered disproportionate. A weighted Risk Ratio is used to determine non-compliance.
Why is Significant Disproportionality a Problem?
When schools have higher numbers of certain ethnic or minority students enrolled in special education that they should have by statistical standards, it signals the possibility that some of the students may not be truly disabled and may have been incorrectly identified. Disproportionality is a problem because it can:
- Prevent children from reaching their academic potential;
- Fuel negative stereotypes regarding minority groups;
- Result in a type of racial profiling that places minority students at a disadvantage throughout their school year;
- Result in lowered expectations among teachers, parents, and the students themselves; and
- Prevent schools from recognizing the need to adjust curriculum and teaching methods to reach a broad range of instructional needs of a diverse student body.
What Causes Disproportionality?
Disproportionality may be caused by:
- Failure to recognize and accommodate cultural differences among minority groups;
- Use of inappropriate assessment strategies for English Language Learners and racial and ethnic minorities;
- Failure to accommodate parents of students with Limited English Proficiency or language minorities; and
- Lack of responsiveness to cultural and socioeconomic differences among children and their families.
What Must Districts Implement?
Coordinated Early Intervening Services (CEIS)
CEIS includes:
- Professional development for teachers and other school staff to enable them to deliver scientifically based academic instruction and behavioral interventions, including scientifically-based literacy instruction and if appropriate instruction on the use of adaptive and instructional software.
- Providing educational and behavioral evaluations, services and supports, in cluding scientifically-based literacy instruction.
Any LEA that uses up to 15% of IDEA Part B funds for coordinated early intervening services must annually report to the state education agency on:
- The number of students who receive CEIS, and
- The number of students who received early intervening services , who subsequently receive special education and related services within two years after receiving CEIS.
We customize a plan of action to meet the unique needs of individual districts and schools. We accomplish this by first working with a district or school to complete a needs assessment to determine strengths and identify areas of need as indicated by district wide and student level data. We help keep the districts cost down while implementing an effective sustainable solution.
Our professional development solutions:
We have successfully worked with districts cited for disproportionality and helped them to ultimately resolve noncompliance by focusing on :
- Establishing Prevention and Early Intervention Systems (RTI)
- Implementing Culturally Responsive Positive Behavioral Interventions & Supports
- Improving Pre-referral Intervention Teaming Processes
- Culturally Relevant Assessment Techniques
- Initiating Family and Community Partnerships
- Improving Staff Proficiency in Culturally Responsive Practices
Resources
We work with districts to accomplish these tasks and develop objective and measurable action plans for improvement. Contact us for more information
Virtuoso Education Consulting LLC
Phone: 317-828-1109 | Fax: 317-527-9292 |
Email: admin@virtuosoed.com
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