E-News—Issue 6, Number 5

Welcome to the May 2003 issue of E-News!

E-News is designed to keep individuals informed of new developments in urban education and inclusive schooling practices in urban schools. In particular, E-News includes brief items of interest around the work of the National Institute and other organizations engaged in similar work, current research, upcoming conferences and events, new online and off-line products and resources, and other news happening in the field.

Features this month:

• Publication Highlight: Journal features urban special education issues
• Events: TASH telephone conferences (various dates throughout June and July) and early registration for the annual conference (December 10-13); last chance to register for the Harvard Institute (July 14-18)
• New Resources: Great City Schools study; culturally responsive strategies
• National Institute Help Desk
  

Publication Highlight

Journal of Special Education Leadership features urban special education issues

The National Institute for Urban School Improvement’s Co-Director, Dr. David Riley, served as guest editor of the May issue of the Journal of Special Education Leadership, which features articles on students with disabilities accessing the general education curriculum, special education finance and accountability for student outcomes, schoolwide behavior supports, and the disproportionate representation of culturally and linguistically diverse students in special education. Additionally, the National Institute’s Director, Dr. Elizabeth Kozleski co-authored an article that focuses on solutions to the dilemma of teacher preparation.

Dr. Riley said that he hoped that "our efforts to produce this special issue of the Journal of Special Education Leadership will contribute to a greater appreciation of the complex challenges currently faced by urban special education leaders."

Copies of the journal may be purchased from the Council of Administrators of Special Education (CASE). Ordering information can be found on the CASE Web site: http://www.casecec.org/. Free downloadable copies will be available from the Urban Special Education Leadership Collaborative's Web site in June: http://www.urbancollaborative.org.

Events

TASH telephone conferences and annual conference

Phone conferences focus on issues related to quality education in the general education classroom for students with significant disabilities

This series provides cutting edge information for special education and general education teachers, administrators, related services providers, parents, advocates and anyone else who is working to provide quality education for students with significant disabilities in general education classrooms.

Session titles/speakers:

• Issues in Effectively Supporting Students with Disabilities in General Education Classrooms (Douglas Fisher - June 11)
• How to Move the System: Elements and Skills Necessary for an Inclusive School Environment (June Downing, Nancy Franklin, and Julie Fabrocini - June 12)
• Student-Led Individualized Education Plans (Jacqueline Thousand, Ann Nevin and Ida Malian - June 17)
• The Effects of Pull Out on Community and Learning (Carol Tashie and Michael Sgambati - June 19)
• Relationships Between Academics, Diplomas, and Employment (Lou Brown, Anne Smith and Michael Wehmeyer - June 24)
• How Do We Continue the Movement Toward Inclusive Education? (Jamie Ruppmann - June 25)
• Getting Informed About Alternate Assessment (Diane Browder - June 26)
• Achieving a Quality Education for Our Sons and Daughters with Significant Disabilities in the General Education Environment (Judith Gran and Mark Hall - July 2)

The teleconference speakers are all leaders in the development and implementation of quality supports in general education classrooms for students with significant disabilities. Speakers include university professors, advocates, attorneys, and parents.
Complete descriptions of each session, as well as dates and times, can be found on the TASH Web site at http://www.tash.org/tc03ed. To register for the teleconferences online, go to http://www.tash.org/tc03ed or you can call 410-828-8274 ext "0" during East Coast business hours.

Early registration for annual TASH conference
December 10-13, 2003
Chicago, Illinois

The TASH conference is the largest conference in the United States that focuses on strategies for achieving full inclusion for people with disabilities. It brings together the hearts and minds of the disability movement, features over 450 breakout sessions, exhibits, roundtable discussions, poster sessions, and much more. Sessions focus on the following themes:

• Inclusive education across the lifespan
• Innovations in research and practice
• Transition, community living, and employment
• Values, advocacy, and ethics

Register by June 30 to save on the registration fee. For more information, visit
http://www.tash.org/2003conference/index2.htm.

New Resources

Urban school districts cited as “beating the odds” in Council of Great City Schools study

The Council of the Great City Schools recently released its third edition of “Beating the Odds,” which provides information on the performance of inner-city schools on the academic goals and standards set by the states. The report examines student achievement in math and reading through spring 2002. It also measures achievement gaps between cities and states, African Americans and whites, and Hispanics and whites, as well as new data on language proficiency, disability, and income. Finally, the report asks two critical questions: "Are urban schools improving academically?" and "Are urban schools closing achievement gaps?" In general, the study found fresh evidence that urban schools are making significant gains in math scores on state assessments. The study also found new gains in reading and fragile evidence that gaps may be narrowing.

Despite significant gains in math performance, urban schools as a group still score below national averages. Seven major city school systems had average math scores in half or more of the grades tested that were the same as or higher than their respective states. These systems were Albuquerque, Anchorage, Broward County (Ft. Lauderdale), Greenville, Hillsborough County (Tampa), Portland, and San Francisco. Six of these cities (Albuquerque, Anchorage, Broward County, Hillsborough, Portland, and San Francisco) had the same or higher scores than their states in all grades tested.
Despite similar new gains on state reading assessments, reading scores remain below state and national averages in urban school districts. Still, seven major city school systems had average reading scores in half or more of the grades tested that were the same as or higher than their respective states. They were Albuquerque, Anchorage, Broward County (Ft. Lauderdale), Greenville, Hillsborough County (Tampa), San Diego, and San Francisco. Six of these cities (Albuquerque, Anchorage, Greenville, Hillsborough County, San Diego, and San Francisco) had the same or higher scores than statewide averages in all grades tested. To read the complete report, please visit http://www.cgcs.org/reports/beat_the_oddsIII.html

Evidence-based strategies that can help close the achievement gap

In their article, "No Child Left Behind: Now What Do We Need to Do to be Culturally Responsive?," Norma L. Day-Vines and James M. Patton have compiled a succinct list of evidence-based strategeies for closing the achievement gap. Examples of these strategies include:

• Consider own attitudes, biases, and assumptions.
• Value children's language.
• Recognize that the culture of the school and the culture of the child's family may not be well synchronized.
• Provide culturally relevant instructional materials.
• Avoid filtering all behavior through the singular lens of race, ethnicity, culture, or class.
• Seek out new information from cultural informants.

Published in the February/March issue of "Link Lines," the newsletter of the Training and Technical Assistance Center at the College of William and Mary, the complete article includes a dozen strategies and references for further reading. A free online version is available at http://www.wm.edu/TTAC/articles/legal/nowwhat.htm.

National Institute Support Desk

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For more information about the National Institute for Urban School Improvement, please feel free to contact us.