Friends of public education is initiating a discussion about 'model' schools. Please use the comments button to share your thoughts, observations or stories.
11 comments:
Anonymous
said...
Lots of unknowns about these school, a primary one being who is going to be accountable for them? I cannot imagine that the Ministry wants to take this on.
I am very concerned that Bill 20 will allow for charter schools in BC. It has been my hope that we (as a society) can meet the needs of all children within a properly-funded and publicly-governed public school system.
We live on Quadra Island and have a son with ASD and has been great for his early intervention. We are now moving to Kamloops as we've come across this school in Kamloops called the Chris Rose Center for Autism, and this school runs from Kindergarten to grade 7 and has OT, Speech Pathology, Music Therapy & Life Skills progam, he goes there same as regular school with one on one to one to two ratio, depending on his or her specific needs, then slowly over the course of those years he spends more time in the regular school. We think that this is the perfect balance for kids with ASD/Aspergers as class sizes have grown so much in our schools. I like this as he can have the best of both. I think that other school districts in B.C. should have centers like this and by the way its through school district 73.
Hi, Thank you for this opportunity to comment. I have worked in the field of disability in BC for many years.When I started in this field I visited special schools all over BC. Most started because children with disabilities were not welcome in regular classrooms. I have since seen excellent outcomes for children attending regular schools with appropriate supports and learning environments.
I have also seen the substantial abuses that occur when children are out of sight and mind and when the safeguards of typical peers are not there to report on abuses and unfair practices. We have a long and well documented history in BC of institutional abuses that occur when we segregate populations of children. Let's not go down that road again.
As a parent of a child with severe learning disabilities I understand the huge and legitimate parental concerns of improperly funded class rooms and ill prepared teachers. But the worst educational decision I made for my daughter was to 'try out' a special class for one year at the urging of the special ed consultants for our school board. There is stigma for many children when removed completely from the mainstream and children pay a price for that sooner or later.
I am concerned that we are moving in the direction of special schools to serve the needs of teachers, school administrators, school boards with declining enrollment and perhaps the Ministry of Education which has not had an interest in children with special needs for many, many years.
Special schools are certainly not the direction to take if we are wanting to meet the needs of children, all of whom benefit from inclusive education.
I would like to express my gratitude to the organizers and speakers of the May 2 Model Schools forum event. It was inspiring and morale boosting to spend an evening hearing a range of perspectives, ideas and opinions in a respectful dialogue about something which we call care about so deeply.
The panellists were excellent and presented a good range of information. I am always moved (although sometimes sad and angry) hearing stories from parents who’ve “been there” and learn so much from academics who can provide research findings to fill in the picture with facts.
Listening to the speakers, including audience members, I was left with the feeling we all want the same thing for our students: access to an education that meets their needs and allows them to meet their full potential.
My own opinion, as I stated last night, is that pretty well all of the things I’ve heard as potential “benefits” of a provincial model school for students with autism could be provided in our public school system, for the most part in neighbourhood schools. I don’t believe we’ve really given a chance for “inclusion” (which doesn’t always mean full integration) to work.
The solution to me will come when there is the political will to truly support inclusion — both in terms of the culture from the top down and in the dollars that come to our schools. When school districts only receive $16,000 supplementary funding for each child with autism, which doesn’t even cover half the cost of a support worker with nothing left for specialized resources teachers, speech/language, OT, psychologist etc., it tells me we’re not even trying to make public education work for these kids. We need to make special education an attractive field for teachers to enter and we need to make their jobs reasonable and rewarding instead of giving them unmanageable caseloads and insufficient resources to do what they’re trained to do. We need our schools to have the staff and resources available to provide a continuum of services to meet the diverse learning needs of all our students.
We need to rebuild trust so that all education partners — parents, teachers, support workers, administrators, politicians – can work together to help these students and all students.
I am afraid that if we give up on making inclusion work for all our students by setting up model schools for a small fraction of them, all hope really will be lost for many of our kids.
I think we also need to be careful that we're not allowing the Ministry of Education to use desperate parents who have struggled for years while the school system fails their kids as pawns in a political chessmatch that may be more about privatization than it is about what's best for kids.
Discussions like the one last night are a good start, but we’ve got a long way to go.
Thanks again to everyone who put this together and to everyone who took the time to come and participate.
I am strongly against the idea of model schools (charter schools) in BC. Why can't funding earmarked for model schools go to public schools? With more funding of public education we would begin to see even more amazing programs.
In response to Kristi, the Chris Rose centre in Kamloops (formerly called Giant Steps) is an example of a current model that works well for some kids. Here's how it was recently explained to me by a Kamloops parent who knows the program well:
"Families here in SD # 73 can have their child (K - Gr. 7) attend the Chris Rose Therapy Centre for Autism (formerly known as Giant Steps - West). This is a therapy centre not a school, so families can use their [MCFD autism therapy] funding for this. So you might say we already have an "autism school " here...but no academics happen there!!... An ASD student can attend the Chris Rose Therapy Centre for Autism 2, 3 or 5 days a week, the other days being spent in their neighbourhood school. So that is one option for some.
" The Chris Rose Centre is funded by SD # 73, United Way, MCFD, and other community groups and supporters. They also have been doing the big autism conferences on the even years, that is a big fund raiser for them. And of course the families pay 2 - 3 hundred monthly, as well as constant ongoing fundraising!!"
(There used to be a Giants Steps West as well that served Lower Mainland students until the Ministry of Education cut their funding in 2003!).
In my opinion, a program like the Chris Rose Centre would be even better if it was fully funded as part of local school district, and therefore available free of charge to all students who need such therapy. (After all, why should these parents have to fundraise to cover the costs of educationally necessary services that others get for free, and what about kids with other diagnoses who don't get autism therapy funds to help make it work?)
An approach that embeds such a program as part of the suite of services offered by a school district would also support the integration of behaviour therapy with academic instruction and generally offer more support for reintegration and for integrated students in the District (sort of like the existing Provincial Outreach Program for Autism and Related Disorders, or POPARD)
The point is, we do have existing foundations and examples of relatively successful approaches to build on, instead of reinventing the wheel. Why not look at what's working (and not working!) and why, and use that information to build on successes and correct shortcomings?
"All" it takes is the political will to provide the necessary leadership and resources, and to start demanding accountability for the successful education of challenging students in our public system (in ways that reward success--not ways that punish those who take on the toughest challenges!)
My son also attends the Chris Rose Therapy Centre for Autism, it is a great school. They have a new updated website it can be seen here http://www.chrisrosecentre.com/
I attended a PAC meeting recently, my very first one. The school talked about the job action, the purpose of the actions, I don't see a lot of information being given to back up their claims, but alot has been focused on their primary purpose, to limit the special needs students, class sizes, of course wages is also an important one.
I want to talk about wage increase first, a lot of comparisons have been given out on teachers' salary across the country, but in my own opinion, it's pointless to compare it that way. Why aren't basic wage the same across the country, why aren't provincial tax rate the same across the country. There are reasons for that. Why 1lb of pork in Toronto costs way less than in Vancouver. We all want raise for whatever reason, but I am not blaming teachers for asking for more, but you have to present better argument than that. Compare inflation, compare wage increase level, compare economic growth instead of actual number. Why not comparing numbers with third world country's teacher if you think actual number makes sense at all.
The second primary purpose mentioned was the class size and special needs student in each class. I think that's the primary reason the government is not backing down, and I think the government is doing the right thing in this case. I am basing my conclusion entirely on what I heard that night, I haven't been really paying attentions to very details on what the teachers needed, so correct me if I am wrong.
The government is running in deficit, as always, and fundings are cut here and there and everyone is already complaining about that, by accepting the raise increase from the teachers' request, it's already going to cost more tax dollars if that happens.
Imagine what would happen if the government accept the proposal from the teachers. The average 3 to 4 special needs student will be limited to 2, with the same enrollment numbers. Another teacher will be needed to take care the extra special need student? on a 1 to 1 or 1 to 2 or 1 to 3 basis? or spiting the existing class from 20 to 30, to 10 and 15 so that it doesn't seem odd? How much is the additional teacher going to cost the school and government? we are not talking about small percentage of increase there if that happens.
If that can't be done, is the school going to pick a random student with special need and tell them out of luck, we can only take 2?
I just don't think the teachers' federation has a strong case in this job action.
Parents who insist on mainstream classes for all children are well meaning but wrong. Students with "invisible" disabilities, example neural deficits and learning disabilities,not apparent to others and thus invisible, are - to be politically correct - different". Invisible difference is difficult to understand by other students or in adult society. Separate schools supply the answer (not called "Alternative" school but simply "Park Road" school. We all feel comfortable, safe, with those with similar difficulties. One designated school in each school board allows all students to receive the beneficial education society owes them and all students to have the self-esteem they need whether they are doing well in the class or not so well.
11 comments:
Lots of unknowns about these school, a primary one being who is going to be accountable for them? I cannot imagine that the Ministry wants to take this on.
I am very concerned that Bill 20 will allow for charter schools in BC. It has been my hope that we (as a society) can meet the needs of all children within a properly-funded and publicly-governed public school system.
Hi,
We live on Quadra Island and have a son with ASD and has been great for his early intervention. We are now moving to Kamloops as we've come across this school in Kamloops called the Chris Rose Center for Autism, and this school runs from Kindergarten to grade 7 and has OT, Speech Pathology, Music Therapy & Life Skills progam, he goes there same as regular school with one on one to one to two ratio, depending on his or her specific needs, then slowly over the course of those years he spends more time in the regular school. We think that this is the perfect balance for kids with ASD/Aspergers as class sizes have grown so much in our schools. I like this as he can have the best of both. I think that other school districts in B.C. should have centers like this and by the way its through school district 73.
Hi,
Thank you for this opportunity to comment. I have worked in the field of disability in BC for many years.When I started in this field I visited special schools all over BC. Most started because children with disabilities were not welcome in regular classrooms. I have since seen excellent outcomes for children attending regular schools with appropriate supports and learning environments.
I have also seen the substantial abuses that occur when children are out of sight and mind and when the safeguards of typical peers are not there to report on abuses and unfair practices. We have a long and well documented history in BC of institutional abuses that occur when we segregate populations of children. Let's not go down that road again.
As a parent of a child with severe learning disabilities I understand the huge and legitimate parental concerns of improperly funded class rooms and ill prepared teachers. But the worst educational decision I made for my daughter was to 'try out' a special class for one year at the urging of the special ed consultants for our school board. There is stigma for many children when removed completely from the mainstream and children pay a price for that sooner or later.
I am concerned that we are moving in the direction of special schools to serve the needs of teachers, school administrators, school boards with declining enrollment and perhaps the Ministry of Education which has not had an interest in children with special needs for many, many years.
Special schools are certainly not the direction to take if we are wanting to meet the needs of children, all of whom benefit from inclusive education.
Dana Brynelsen
I would like to express my gratitude to the organizers and speakers of the May 2 Model Schools forum event. It was inspiring and morale boosting to spend an evening hearing a range of perspectives, ideas and opinions in a respectful dialogue about something which we call care about so deeply.
The panellists were excellent and presented a good range of information. I am always moved (although sometimes sad and angry) hearing stories from parents who’ve “been there” and learn so much from academics who can provide research findings to fill in the picture with facts.
Listening to the speakers, including audience members, I was left with the feeling we all want the same thing for our students: access to an education that meets their needs and allows them to meet their full potential.
My own opinion, as I stated last night, is that pretty well all of the things I’ve heard as potential “benefits” of a provincial model school for students with autism could be provided in our public school system, for the most part in neighbourhood schools. I don’t believe we’ve really given a chance for “inclusion” (which doesn’t always mean full integration) to work.
The solution to me will come when there is the political will to truly support inclusion — both in terms of the culture from the top down and in the dollars that come to our schools. When school districts only receive $16,000 supplementary funding for each child with autism, which doesn’t even cover half the cost of a support worker with nothing left for specialized resources teachers, speech/language, OT, psychologist etc., it tells me we’re not even trying to make public education work for these kids. We need to make special education an attractive field for teachers to enter and we need to make their jobs reasonable and rewarding instead of giving them unmanageable caseloads and insufficient resources to do what they’re trained to do. We need our schools to have the staff and resources available to provide a continuum of services to meet the diverse learning needs of all our students.
We need to rebuild trust so that all education partners — parents, teachers, support workers, administrators, politicians – can work together to help these students and all students.
I am afraid that if we give up on making inclusion work for all our students by setting up model schools for a small fraction of them, all hope really will be lost for many of our kids.
I think we also need to be careful that we're not allowing the Ministry of Education to use desperate parents who have struggled for years while the school system fails their kids as pawns in a political chessmatch that may be more about privatization than it is about what's best for kids.
Discussions like the one last night are a good start, but we’ve got a long way to go.
Thanks again to everyone who put this together and to everyone who took the time to come and participate.
Patti Bacchus
Anonymous Roy said...
I am strongly against the idea of model schools (charter schools) in BC. Why can't funding earmarked for model schools go to public schools? With more funding of public education we would begin to see even more amazing programs.
In response to Kristi, the Chris Rose centre in Kamloops (formerly called Giant Steps) is an example of a current model that works well for some kids. Here's how it was recently explained to me by a Kamloops parent who knows the program well:
"Families here in SD # 73 can have their child (K - Gr. 7) attend the Chris Rose Therapy Centre for Autism (formerly known as Giant Steps - West). This is a therapy centre not a school, so families can use their [MCFD autism therapy] funding for this. So you might say we already have an "autism school " here...but no academics happen there!!... An ASD student can attend the Chris Rose Therapy Centre for Autism 2, 3 or 5 days a week, the other days being spent in their neighbourhood school. So that is one option for some.
" The Chris Rose Centre is funded by SD # 73, United Way, MCFD, and other community groups and supporters. They also have been doing the big autism conferences on the even years, that is a big fund raiser for them. And of course the families pay 2 - 3 hundred monthly, as well as constant ongoing fundraising!!"
(There used to be a Giants Steps West as well that served Lower Mainland students until the Ministry of Education cut their funding in 2003!).
In my opinion, a program like the Chris Rose Centre would be even better if it was fully funded as part of local school district, and therefore available free of charge to all students who need such therapy. (After all, why should these parents have to fundraise to cover the costs of educationally necessary services that others get for free, and what about kids with other diagnoses who don't get autism therapy funds to help make it work?)
An approach that embeds such a program as part of the suite of services offered by a school district would also support the integration of behaviour therapy with academic instruction and generally offer more support for reintegration and for integrated students in the District (sort of like the existing Provincial Outreach Program for Autism and Related Disorders, or POPARD)
The point is, we do have existing foundations and examples of relatively successful approaches to build on, instead of reinventing the wheel. Why not look at what's working (and not working!) and why, and use that information to build on successes and correct shortcomings?
"All" it takes is the political will to provide the necessary leadership and resources, and to start demanding accountability for the successful education of challenging students in our public system (in ways that reward success--not ways that punish those who take on the toughest challenges!)
Interesting to know.
My son also attends the Chris Rose Therapy Centre for Autism, it is a great school. They have a new updated website it can be seen here http://www.chrisrosecentre.com/
I attended a PAC meeting recently, my very first one. The school talked about the job action, the purpose of the actions, I don't see a lot of information being given to back up their claims, but alot has been focused on their primary purpose, to limit the special needs students, class sizes, of course wages is also an important one.
I want to talk about wage increase first, a lot of comparisons have been given out on teachers' salary across the country, but in my own opinion, it's pointless to compare it that way. Why aren't basic wage the same across the country, why aren't provincial tax rate the same across the country. There are reasons for that. Why 1lb of pork in Toronto costs way less than in Vancouver. We all want raise for whatever reason, but I am not blaming teachers for asking for more, but you have to present better argument than that. Compare inflation, compare wage increase level, compare economic growth instead of actual number. Why not comparing numbers with third world country's teacher if you think actual number makes sense at all.
The second primary purpose mentioned was the class size and special needs student in each class. I think that's the primary reason the government is not backing down, and I think the government is doing the right thing in this case. I am basing my conclusion entirely on what I heard that night, I haven't been really paying attentions to very details on what the teachers needed, so correct me if I am wrong.
The government is running in deficit, as always, and fundings are cut here and there and everyone is already complaining about that, by accepting the raise increase from the teachers' request, it's already going to cost more tax dollars if that happens.
Imagine what would happen if the government accept the proposal from the teachers. The average 3 to 4 special needs student will be limited to 2, with the same enrollment numbers. Another teacher will be needed to take care the extra special need student? on a 1 to 1 or 1 to 2 or 1 to 3 basis? or spiting the existing class from 20 to 30, to 10 and 15 so that it doesn't seem odd? How much is the additional teacher going to cost the school and government? we are not talking about small percentage of increase there if that happens.
If that can't be done, is the school going to pick a random student with special need and tell them out of luck, we can only take 2?
I just don't think the teachers' federation has a strong case in this job action.
Parents who insist on mainstream classes for all children are well meaning but wrong. Students with "invisible" disabilities, example neural deficits and learning disabilities,not apparent to others and thus invisible, are - to be politically correct - different". Invisible difference is difficult to understand by other students or in adult society. Separate schools supply the answer (not called "Alternative" school but simply "Park Road" school. We all feel comfortable, safe, with those with similar difficulties. One designated school in each school board allows all students to receive the beneficial education society owes them and all students to have the self-esteem they need whether they are doing well in the class or not so well.
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