Agenda

1. Deconstructing LRE: What It Means, Where We Are, and Future DirectionsAmanda SullivanNIUSI/NCCRESt/LeadScapeArizona State University

2. Agenda • Introductions • What is NIUSI? • Setting the Context • What is LRE? • Understanding the Data • What are SPPs? • National Trends 2004-2006 • How does AZ compare? • Increasing placements in the LRE • State activities

3. What is NIUSI? Mission: to develop powerful networks of urban districts and schools that embrace and implement a data-based, continuous improvement approach for inclusive practices.

4. NIUSI’s Goals • Increase knowledge and understanding of continuous improvement through evaluation of current practice, change efforts and impact. • Explain, expand and make available the research and inclusive practices literature. • Encourage collaborative work on inclusive urban practices with leading urban districts and urban schools focusing on practices in early intervening, reading, behavior, and universal design. • Link, inform, and strengthen national networks of urban schools committed to improving educational results for children and youth with disabilities in urban schools.

5. NIUSI’s Products & Resources • Also • Professional Development Materials • School and District Assessment Tools • On-site Technical Assistance and Professional Development Available

6. Other Projects www.nccrest.org www.niusileadscape.org

7. Agenda • Introductions • What is NIUSI? • Setting the Context • What is LRE? • Understanding the Data • What are SPPs? • National Trends 2004-2006 • How does AZ compare? • Increasing placements in the LRE • State activities

8. What is LRE? "To the maximum extent appropriate, children with disabilities, including children in public or private institutions or other care facilities, are [1] educated with children who are not disabled, and [2] special classes, separate schooling, or other removal of children with disabilities from the regular educational environment occurs only when the nature or severity of the disability of a child is suchthat education in regular classes with the use of supplementary aids and servicescannot be achieved satisfactorily.“ IDEA 2004, Section 612 (a)(5)(A)

9. LRE & IDEA • IDEA assumes that the first placement option for all students is the regular education classroom. • Placement decisions must be made on an individual level • Disability and placement are separate Continuum of Services

10. Inclusive Education Focus on ensuring that all traditionally marginalized groups have access to rich opportunities to learn (Kozleski, Artiles, Fletcher, & Engelbrecht, 2007). • Necessary supports are provided within the general education classroom, rather than as a pullout or self-contained program. • Special education is considered a set of services, not a place

11. Elements of Inclusive Schools • Division and building-level consensus • Ongoing collaboration • Individualized goals weaved into general activities • Provision of time • Strong administrative support • Parental involvement • Strong peer networks • Use of natural supports

12. Agenda • Introductions • What is NIUSI? • Setting the Context • What is LRE? • Understanding the Data • What are SPPs? • National Trends 2004-2006 • How does AZ compare? • Increasing placements in the LRE • State activities

13. What Are SPPs? • Annual reports required by OSEP to document states’ progress in improving educational outcomes for students with disabilities. • To evaluate the implementation of IDEA • To describe improvement efforts for the future • Includes indicators in several domains including discipline, disproportionality, transition, graduation, parent involvement, dispute resolution, placement, etc.

14. Placement Categories Percent of Children with IEPs aged 6 – 21: • Removed from regular class <21% of day • Removed from regular class >60% of day • Served in public or private separate schools, residential placements, or homebound or hospital placements

15. Summary of Results

16. States’ Data • A: range 18-95% • 19 states had >60% • B: range 0-34% • 32 states had 10-20% • C: range 0-27% • 20 states had <2%

17. Arizona v. Nation Educational Placements of Students with Disabilities

18. Agenda • Introductions • What is NIUSI? • Setting the Context • What is LRE? • Understanding the Data • What are SPPs? • National Trends 2004-2006 • How does AZ compare? • Increasing placements in the LRE • State activities • Our vision of change

19. States’ Improvement Activities • Professional Development: 43% • Technical Assistance: 41% • Improve systems administration and data monitoring: 35% • Improve data collection and reporting: 28% • Program development: 21%

20. States’ Explanations of Progress • Impact of improvement activities • State-wide emphasis on inclusion • Trend toward “resource rooms” over self-contained placements • Co-teaching

21. Agenda • Introductions • What is NIUSI? • Setting the Context • What is LRE? • Understanding the Data • What are SPPs? • National Trends 2004-2006 • How does AZ compare? • Increasing placements in the LRE • State activities • Our vision of change

22. Contact Information Elaine Mulligan, Project Coordinator Elaine.Mulligan@asu.edu (480) 965-8378 Amanda Sullivan, Evaluation Coordinator Amanda.L.Sullivan@asu.edu Check out our websites for more information: www.urbanschools.org www.niusileadscape.org www.nccrest.org