For 15 years LifeLine has advocated for systems change on behalf of thousands of Hamilton County students with special needs. With the formation of the Chattanooga Inclusive Ed Working Group a couple of years ago, we joined many others in documenting the needs of the county and offering solutions to meet those needs. On Thursday evening,…
My name is Kate Moreau and I am a junior at Covenant College, where I am studying elementary education. I am originally from Wheaton, Illinois but have lived in the Chattanooga area since I started at Covenant a few years ago. I came to Covenant with the intention of becoming a public elementary school teacher,…
“What is Inclusion?The term inclusion implies a certain educational placement philosophy, interdisciplinary team planning approach, instructional method and attitude.” “Inclusion DOES NOT necessarily mean that a student never leaves the class and is never paired with another student who receives special education services. Rather, it means that the student is truly a member of a…
When discussion of placement arises in an IEP meeting, often how much “inclusion” will be accessible for a student becomes a topic of conversation. Where is “inclusion” in IDEA? Is that term actually there? Or is it a concept? Least Restrictive Environment is the term IDEA uses to define placements. The United States Department of Education,…
Chattanooga Inclusive Ed recently provided a requested white paper to Chattanooga 2.0 outlining current deficiencies in inclusive best practices in the Hamilton County Department of Education, a summary of evidence on the benefits of inclusion for children with and without exceptional needs, and concrete recommendations for reform. Here’s an excerpt from the white paper on…
For years parents and educators have heard many excuses why students with disabilities should not be full included in their home zoned school.. Many times these excuses fall into specific categories. Myth #1: Students with significant disabilities educated in general education classrooms won’t get the support they need. Myth #2: Students with the most significant…
“Before a student moves from a self-contained special education class to a general education setting in his or her neighborhood school for the first time, the school system support staff will need to initiate a planning process to ensure that the supports and services are in place when the student starts school. The planning process…
“The entire IEP team listened. However, they said they didn’t want to change his placement from a self-contained class. Then came the hard part. I said I was rejecting his proposed IEP.” Whether you disagree with the present levels, the goals, the placement, or any other part of the IEP, as a parent, you have a…
Many of our kids struggle with anxiety. While some of their fears are based in reality, some of them may not be and we are concerned about how to appropriately respond to help them move past it. Here are a few ideas that, on the surface, may not all sound effective, but may actually be…
Update from TN Department of Education with OSEP Memo Clarification As LEAs begin implementation of Tennessee’s RTI² Framework, the department would like to remind districts of the procedures required when a parent requests an evaluation. As referenced in this memorandum issued through the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP), a Response to Intervention (RTI) process…
