Thursday, October 7, 2010

PR Dept Can't Say "Reading" and "Special Education"

Here's what Montgomery County taxpayers get for the $10 million +/- MCPS Public Relations Department. 


This is the last sentence from one of the October 6, 2010, MCPS press releases
"...Eight of the 10 high schools that did not make AYP missed it based on the performance of just one subgroup of students."


What's the missing name of the "subgroup?"


SPECIAL EDUCATION


And 9 of the 10 high schools that did not make AYP missed it based on their performance in

READING


We can't have "courageous conversations" about our public schools if our school system can't spit out the words that need to be discussed. 


Remember that these are "Jerry's kids" that are now in high school. They are the students that had the benefit of the reading programs that Superintendent Weast implemented in elementary schools. 


In 2005, a leading national reading expert was concerned about Superintendent Jerry Weast's reading program.  Here is what G. Reid Lyon had to say,
 "I wish I had more confidence in his reading data."
You can read the full e-mail here

3 comments:

  1. The solution for Sp. Ed. in MCPS is so simple. "Options, Choices, and Parents as Equal Partners".

    Such a simple formula. But never tried by MCPS because it would require the school system truly work with families and compromise.

    Bob Astrove

    ReplyDelete
  2. Also, take a look at the work load of special educators. There should be increased, outside of the school support to work on assessments, writing of IEP's, and sitting in meetings to allow the special educators maximum time to work with students.
    MCPS Parent and Teacher

    ReplyDelete
  3. The ALT-MSA is the biggest "time-waster" in Special Education. If parents knew how to "refuse consent" for their children to participate in the ALT-MSA I bet they would do it. I sure would have.

    ReplyDelete

If your comment does not appear in 24 hours, please send your comment directly to our e-mail address:
parentscoalitionmc AT outlook.com