Today, we five Resource teachers and our SPED consultant were to meet with administrators and counselors to work out the scheduling snafu. We showed up. The SPED consultant showed up. That was it.
So we just conferenced between us, determining which students we DID see during the course of the day and which ones weren't being seen by anyone. We divvied up the ones we saw, in order to make sure that the person monitoring their IEP progress was someone they actually SEE during the school day. There were quite a few who are being seen by NO-ONE -- which is in direct violation of federal law.
Now realize what I say that we "see" a student, here's what I mean. For example, let's say I'm "collaborating" in a Conceptual Algebra class. Let's say there are six Resource students in that class. Theoretically, those students are being "served" as Resource students because I'm IN their classroom with them.
Where this goes awry is that each individual student has individual goals. Four of those six students may not even have a math goal; they're in Resource because of their low reading level. But they're being "served" in a MATH class.
It doesn't wash. Not even a little bit. And I found out today that during another meeting a few days ago, our school principal ADMITTED OPENLY that the reason we were doing "collaboration" was because we had NO SPACE. Not because "collaborating" is the best for the students. No, it's because we don't have anywhere to put them.
Big problem. Because SPED is a federally-funded program and they're short-shrifting it in our building because we don't have the space.
You don't get to "not have the space" for SPED programs.
This isn't an issue with regards to the one-cent local-option sales tax that didn't bring in as much $$ as they promised it would, in order to rebuild the city's crumbling school infrastructure. SPED isn't locally-funded. Yes, it's provided within locally-funded walls, but BY FEDERAL LAW they have to do it. You find broom closets to stick your Regular-Ed classes, but by golly you had better make sure you're not stiffing the SPED kids because you're getting Federal Dollars for each one of them to get a Free, Appropriate Public Education (FAPE).
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Please note that I am not agreeing that education should be within federal oversight. On the contrary, I think that whoever in the Fedrul Gubmint promised that they'd provide a FAPE for every single American child (and eventually every illegal immigrant child, too) was sentencing this country to eventual internal collapse under the weight of what's "Free", what's "Appropriate", etc.
But I'll be durned if they're going to keep this leaky tub adrift on the backs of MY STUDENTS, when they were supposed to use their allowance from Uncle Sam to make sure they were safe and sound.
We're already educating them in broom closets. My classroom last year was a closet, and it's still being used, just by another SPED teacher. The Athletic Director's office has even been converted into a classroom -- for eleven SPED students. Eleven BEHAVIORALLY-DISTURBED students.
I know there's no space at North High School, believe me. I know they can't just wave a magic wand and make space appear. But they do need to remember the Order of Operations, the Chain of Command, the Line of Succession... what have you. You want federal dollars, you make sure the federal programs are getting what they're supposed to. It's the way it is. Doesn't make it right, but it's what you NEA-types have foisted upon the nation, and now you'd better lie in that bed you made.
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I am not the type of person who enjoys making waves. On the contrary, I prefer to work in the background. But I am also a person who values principles and will doggedly stick to something when I know I'm right.
I would much rather cheerfully and quietly do my job and stay away from administrative-types as much as humanly possible. I wish I could continue doing that in good conscience now, but I can't.
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