Could budget cuts in the mainstream lead to increased enrollement at deaf schools?

Bajagirl I know. And one good thing. It does seem like almost all deaf schools, including the really tiny ones tend to have SOME academic students. Even schools like LSD or WVSDB or Hawaii School or Montana Schools tend to have a handful of college bound students. Deaf Schools DO have their problems.....but it's amazing that they've survived this long.....and I mean there are schools with strong academic programs. Granted they're not sending kids to Harvard or whatever. But back in the 80s and early 90's Deaf Schools were dwindling, and facing a lot of the same issues. I remember reading a book written in 1982 ish, and it listed tons of the same problems! Heck did you know they were talking about closing the Minnasota School back in 1985?!?! I do think that it's going to take a while for reform to hit deaf ed wholesale. I think right now, they are going through a transistion, trying to find an ideology/methodology that works for the majority of dhh kids in the state. I do think that if Deaf Ed can become Hoh friendly (like the Rome School and FSDB and Rocky Mountain and Kansas) then it will survive as an insistution. The fact of the matter is that the mainstream is too one size fits all. Hell, it is too one size fits all for a lot of disabilties. Even kids with LDs or behavorial issues sometimes need specialized school placements!
It's good that toddlers don't need to go off to the dorms like they did in the old days.
 
deafdyke said:
WHAT? No. I did not say that parents are idoits. What I did say is that they tend to be encouraged by hearing administrators to mainstream their kids. Those hearing administrators tend to push the myth that deaf schools/programs are just for profound voice off kids. That way their school district doesn't have to pay out tution and they can get away with providing a FAPE. I realize there's a HUGE variance in Deaf school quality, but you're simply speaking from your experiance with ONE VERY BADLY RESOURCED Deaf School. And you're missing the fact that while, mainstream solotaire (not dhh program) placements can offer MINIMAL accomondations, fighting for MORE then minimal accomondations is FUCKING HELL!!!!
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I agree becase one usually don't question the doctor.... same idea here, parents don't really question the hearing administrators.

My parents went along with what the local school for the deaf was telling them and the school was pro-oral back then.
 
Most professionals, even those with good intentions, are not really familiar with the complexity involved with educating a child with hearing loss. That's why I always tell parents to PLEASE have a certified deaf specialist present at every IEP meeting.

If an IEP committee determines that a public school is the appropriate option, please make sure all of the teachers and staff who will be working with the child is TRAINED. This is something that CAN be written in the IEP to assure appropriate education. And to link this with the OP, it isn't cheap.

And the IEP committee should also consider the social development needs of the child as well - something is that often overlooked or ignored.

As for deaf schools, what should the IEP committee consider? How will the deaf school give the child appropriate interaction with hearing people (such as ordering food from a restaurant)? How will the placement impact the child's interaction with his/her family, especially if s/he lives in the dorm? What method/philosophy does the school have in regards to educating the child?

Where do I stand? Pick the option that clearly meets the child's needs...a budget should never limit a child from a free and appropriate public education. And LRE needs to be redefined. And the deaf school should be equally considered in every meeting, not as the "last option when everything else fails."
 
Buffalo said:
I agree becase one usually don't question the doctor.... same idea here, parents don't really question the hearing administrators.

My parents went along with what the local school for the deaf was telling them and the school was pro-oral back then.
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Bold statement: :ugh:
 
Most professionals, even those with good intentions, are not really familiar with the complexity involved with educating a child with hearing loss. That's why I always tell parents to PLEASE have a certified deaf specialist present at every IEP meeting.

If an IEP committee determines that a public school is the appropriate option, please make sure all of the teachers and staff who will be working with the child is TRAINED. This is something that CAN be written in the IEP to assure appropriate education. And to link this with the OP, it isn't cheap.
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Yes. And parents should be encouraged to look into dhh programs or magnet schools. Maybe a good idea would be to pass a law making it legal for dhh kids to trial at a Deaf School or a Dhh program.

And the IEP committee should also consider the social development needs of the child as well - something is that often overlooked or ignored.
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And with something MORE then just half assed counseling. Mainstreamed kids with disabilties tend to be bullied or on the bottom of the heap socially. ANd usually ALL we get is halfassed counseling.
As for deaf schools, what should the IEP committee consider? How will the deaf school give the child appropriate interaction with hearing people (such as ordering food from a restaurant)? How will the placement impact the child's interaction with his/her family, especially if s/he lives in the dorm? What method/philosophy does the school have in regards to educating the child?
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Well, it does seem like virtually all deaf schools do have that sort of "independent living skills" training. They're no longer custodial insistutions. Kids are taught to interact with the greater world. And yes, family interaction is hard if a kid lives in the dorm..but on the other hand, it does seem like nowadays most dorm kids at deaf schools are middle or high schoolers.

Where do I stand? Pick the option that clearly meets the child's needs...a budget should never limit a child from a free and appropriate public education. And LRE needs to be redefined. And the deaf school should be equally considered in every meeting, not as the "last option when everything else fails."
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Exactly. The option of the Deaf School should ALWAYS be on the table as a possibilty, especially for middle and high school, when things get very complicated. Many kids may not need it...but its always good to have as an option.
Baja, something you forgot. Generally early education/early childhood programs at Deaf Schools ROCK, and far surpass anything offered in the mainstream. Even the deaf schools where there are a lot of kids with educational deficts or mental issues the preschool and kindergartens rock.
 
hey, does anyone here have experience with metro area schools? Because I'm seeing the stuff you're saying about special ed, counseling, mainstreaming, etc., but I can't imagine the school I was at last year being able to accomodate all that...and the SPED staff there was pretty stellar...but 1700 kids, gangs, sports, book shortage, truancy, etc...it's easy to get lost in the shuffle.

(although...most of our ESL students with IEPS got little outside accomodations. the ESL program was supposed to be their "accomodation". Uh, how do I teach a mentally disabled student who can't read/write/has no spatial concepts/can't do basic math AND has English as a Second Language about economics?!)
 
You start with what he CAN do (his present levels of performance, which should be on his IEP) as a starting point. Every child has strengths. Then the IEP committee should determine what programming he needs, what goals the teacher will use to guide instruction, and what communication methods will be used. My first guess, and this is just a guess, would be to start with PECS for communication modality and a starting point for language. Most special education programs have the PECS or something similar (such as Boardmaker).
 
DD, I agree that most early childhood programs at deaf schools are excellent.

Outreach programs for deaf babies and toddler outside of the school could use some room for improvement, imo.
 
Outreach programs for deaf babies and toddler outside of the school could use some room for improvement, imo
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They're better then general early intervention thou. Much better. And way better then those generic Headstart type programs.
 
baja, I know what you're saying. But i was thinking of a student I had before that could speak. in fact, his english was decent...but he was MR. and he had no services because his parents refused. (i passed him anyway. with a C+. history seemed to be a strong point. he did oral exams.)

i had another kid who DID have an IEP and the 'accomodation' was extra time. okay...but he just didn't "get it". yeah, he could read-ish. his english was actually high (oral). but his 'smartness' capped at about "my dog spot", if that makes sense. :/ ask a q, and he'd be like ummmmm...even a simple q. i'm really good with kids but this wasn't shyness. *sigh* they wouldn't give him any extra help. they said that ESL was his help.

wtf. esl has nothing to do with SPED. *grumbles*

*edit

I gave him some extra accomodations, like notes and 1:1 and I read aloud to him when I could...but really...it would be like you or I sitting in an advanced physics class...being taught in Chinese.
 
Because I'm seeing the stuff you're saying about special ed, counseling, mainstreaming, etc., but I can't imagine the school I was at last year being able to accomodate all that...and the SPED staff there was pretty stellar...but 1700 kids, gangs, sports, book shortage, truancy, etc...it's easy to get lost in the shuffle.

(although...most of our ESL students with IEPS got little outside accomodations. the ESL program was supposed to be their "accomodation". Uh, how do I teach a mentally disabled student who can't read/write/has no spatial concepts/can't do basic math AND has English as a Second Language about economics?!)
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Good point. Very easy for a kid with a disabilty to fall through the cracks in an area that is bad even for hearing students.
I am surprised that the mentally disabled kids don't have their own program......If I were you I would contact organizations like United Cerebal Palsy and the ARC to see if they have any resources or help. If you have dhh students, contact Lexington School for the Deaf in NYC. They have a program for dhh ESL kids.
 
I'm in Colorado! :p I don't have any dhh kids. (actually, I'm at the U this year and not in HS. I just teach part time this year.)

Some of my friends do...but they're elmentary and have CIs. I haven't heard anything from my secondary teaching friends.

Yes, a lot of kids do have separate programs, but there is a huge push for mainstreaming. But if you are ESL and get ESL services, then you don't get the IEP "extras". You get *maybe* access to a resource room...it's pretty much up to the teachers to inflate their grades. Which I do, provided they try. I mean, what good is it for me to fail a MR kid with a shitty IEP? I can try and try to push for better services, but it's not his fault. If they had proper placement, they wouldn't fail! :p
 
hell...if they had proper placement, they'd be in life skills...not world history/civics/etc!!
 
The school, with that kind of linear thinking, is in serious violation of the I.D.E.A. There are plenty of kids with disabilities who also are learning English as their second language. Additionally, pushing for mainstreaming for mainstreaming's sake (which I suspect is because the special education classes are overflowing and the shortage of special education teachers who are willing to teach in a self-contained classroom is decreasing) is another no-no.
If someone has a student who is clearly not able to perform in a "regular" classroom (with/without an IEP), then an IEP meeting should be held...or if the child doesn't have an IEP, then initate the referral process for assessment. If the child has an IEP but it's not efficient, a meeting can be called. In the meantime, collect data (work samples, assessments, etc.) to bring to the meeting. Special education law also has specific guidelines and timelines for the process to be carried through.
 
but his 'smartness' capped at about "my dog spot", if that makes sense. :/ ask a q, and he'd be like ummmmm...even a simple q. i'm really good with kids but this wasn't shyness. *sigh* they wouldn't give him any extra help. they said that ESL was his help..
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Was it his written English and or comprehension? That sort of thing is very common even for severe learning disabilties. And yes, I agree with you. MR kids generally don't have the abilty to function in the mainstream in high school b/c it's so highly academic, with everyone going off to college now.
Some of my friends do...but they're elmentary and have CIs. I haven't heard anything from my secondary teaching friends.
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Where in Coloardo are you? I'd suggest pointing your friends with dhh ESL students to either Rocky Mountain Deaf School, Golden, Colorado or http://www.csdb.org/.....and both Rocky Mountain Deaf School and CSDB are CI/HOH friendly!
 
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