District unveils new plan to end segregation
Individual education emphasized for special ed students
by Ambria Hammel

DVUSD - Beginning with the 2006 2007 school year, students requiring special education in the Deer Valley Unified School District could spend at least part of each day in a classroom of students without disabilities-and could ultimately abandon their self contained special education classes altogether.

The change complies with new emphasis on the Individuals With Disabilities Act passed in 1976 and revised in December 2004 prohibiting the placement of students in classes or schools based on their disability level. It addresses the "least restrictive environment" for students with a disability to learn. That environment is identified as, to the maximum extent appropriate, the integration of children with disabilities with children who are not disabled should be utilized for educational purposes.

Deer Valley is one of the first school districts in the Valley to implement the law, according to Sandi Hicks, spokesperson for DVUSD. "We designed a new instructional delivery model where students at specific transitional periods will be returned to their neighborhood schools," she said.

These students may currently be at schools far from their home because it is the closest campus with the appropriate resources and staffing to meet their needs. Michael Remus, the district's director of Special Education Services, said the program is planned in manageable steps.

Members of the Special Education Task Force consisting of district officials, parents and teachers have been meeting since December to determine the process, implement training and determine staffing needs for the next three to five years.

The focus is on students in transitional periods-those moving into a school district and those naturally changing schools due to promotions. Beginning in August, those students will learn in the general classroom if appropriate, but continue to follow their individual education plan (IEP) developed under the guidance of parents and special education teachers. "Special education can become a service for such children rather than a place where they are sent," said Linda Lewis, the district's special education manager.

Of the 35,000 students in DVUSD, about 4,300 receive special education services. Nearly 600 will transition back to their neighborhood school, and only 103 of them are going to schools next year without adequate programs and resources to meet their needs. District officials point out they are planning diligently to meet the needs of all special ed students.

Remus conducted an assessment of every DVUSD campus, analyzing the ability of classroom and building facilities to adequately accommodate special education students. The principals of each school will receive an informational kit this month with administrative tools for inclusive practices.

Special education teachers will continue to plan modifications and accommodations for students according to their IEPs, but it will now be in collaboration with general education classroom teachers. Special ed teachers will no longer teach segregated classes because the No Child Left Behind Act requires teachers to be "highly qualified" in a subject and many special ed teachers do not meet that requirement and, therefore, cannot teach core academic subjects.

The district began a series of parent meetings March 13 to give them an overview of the service delivery system for special education. More than 50 parents and administrators attended the first meeting held at Anthem School. District officials also heard the concerns of parents at the meetings so they can be addressed in the next few months as the district continues to improve its plan. "Your input is valuable as we go through this process," Remus said.

Some parents also attended a special governing board study session Feb. 28 when the board looked at an overview of the plan's implementation. Parents at both meetings expressed concerns that their children would not be getting the attention they need in a general classroom. On the contrary, assure district personnel, the IEP will identify the amount of time each student will spend in the general classroom. It also specifies the support and services the teachers and students receive.

When the special ed students are not learning in the general classroom from adapted curriculum, they will be sent to the Learning Center. These rooms will be established as a set of rooms supervised by certified staff for students of all abilities to receive extra assistance. This new process of placing special education students in the general classroom when appropriate will eliminate self contained special education classes by the 2008 2009 school year.

For more information, go to www.dvusd.org and click on the link on the right hand side under "News Headlines."

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