There have been pros and cons when breaking up large comprehensive high school and make three to six small schools on the campus. The pros would be closer relationship between students and staff, assuming staff stays at the school which is problematic. A higher graduation rate (but not college readiness) and a more focused student centered environment. The cons are limited course curricula, high teacher turnover and usually an inexperienced teaching staff in low income communities, and .lack of resources for the neediest of students. However, the biggest negative are those Special Education students who need a self-contained environment. Be it 12-1-1 or 8-1-1. Instead most of the Bloomberg small high schools have no self-contained classrooms and these Special Education students are dumped into a ICT classes with class sizes as high as 34 students.
The DOE will claim that they are mandated to put Special Education students in the "least restrictive environment" but many students need a self contained classroom, where he or she gets more intensive academic and behavioral support. This is just another example of the DOE's "education on the cheap" policy at the expense of the Special Education student.
Ask any teacher at the high school level how many potential self-contained Special Education students will pass the end of year Regents. How about close to zero! Yet, the Bloomberg small schools dumped these high needs students in ICT classes of up to 34 students.
The villain is the DOE and their "no excuses" philosophy when it comes to the teacher evaluation system and combined with their "education on the cheap" policy and you have a recipe for failure and that's what happens in school after schools in the small school universe in New York City.
The bottom line is that the DOE treats self-contained Special Education students a disservice when they dumped them in ICT classes. For these "high needs" students the DOE's child last policy hurts their academic achievement.
25 comments:
Chaz, let me give you some info: as an elementary teacher here in NYC, the problem is happening in the lower grades too. Our school is cutting back on 12 to 1 classes and creating tons more ICT classes. This is a horrible for the special kids who need more individual instruction and it is horrible to the regular ed kids who have to deal with the issues that the the special kids engage in.
You said it! ICT classes are often MORE restrictive for many IEP students. The irony is palpable.
Although the mandate states that special education children be placed in the least restrictive environment , ICT classes are actually the most restrictive. The reason is that the class sizes are huge, the second teacher is oftentimes pulled out, and students don't get nearly the same amount of teacher time. So it's the most restrictive environment not least. Another misnomer.
I am a teacher. However I have no children of my own. If I did have my own kids I would NEVER want my kids in an ICT class. Here is why: If my my kid was special ed, he would not be able to get the individual attention that he would get in a 12 to 1 class. If my kid kid was regular ed, he would most likely be getting lessons that are somehat watered down and slower paced so the special ed kids could keep up, not to mention be faced with the sometimes troublesome behaviors that some of the special ed kids may display. (Yes, I know that that regular ed kids also display troublesome behavior as well but why make a class bigger when it could have been smaller to begin with?) I understand the philosophy of ICT classes but in reality they are just not a good idea in most situations.
ICT classes never work as intended. There's just too much stuff going on in the classroom. Really, for many of these kids, the traditional structure of the school doesn't work. They need something different. Something more open. Self contained classrooms are good, but even those aren't what they would truly benefit from.
Unfortunately the only way to avoid ICT for your own kids is to pull them out of public school and put them in private school. This plague is invading everywhere including the suburban districts (albeit with a different name).
Just another dysfunctional operation by the NYCDOE. Its quite astonishing to observe how this bloated bureaucracy "manages" our schools. The DOE has run a muck after 12 years of Bloomberg, Klein, Kathy Black - (anyone remember her?) and of course the honorable Dennis Walcott...cough...laugh....
However, the presence of these people have eroded the NYC school system to a place where teachers and administrators scratch their head on a daily basis saying WTF?? Will it ever change? Will the DOE continue to keep special ed kids in classes they do not belong in? Will the DOE ever admit that their experienced teachers are the best they have? Will the DOE continue to hire cheap teachers like teach for america newbies who know nothing then thrown into a classroom? I guess the only hope is for a new chancellor who really understands education and especially here in NYC.
As an ATR I’m usually given those ICT classes alone while the ICT teacher is removed to do paperwork. He or she will usually take their kids out and bring them to the library because they don’t want to help the ATR control the class.
My school is full of students who are in ICT but should absolutely, definitely, 100% be in 12:1:1 classes. But that ain't happening anytime soon.
Um, how are you guys missing the obvious? Schools receive more money per pupil if they go into an ICT setting. The DOE is a racket.
Awesome. Love this guy from Miami for new chancellor. Clean house Alberto! Went to Florida purposely to make sure than no one knew this dude. Great! Dump everyone Alberto!
The search is over. Alberto Carvalho, from Miami Dade County School District, will replace Farina.
Our new incoming chancellor is the new younger version of Klein . mayor dumbo was a neoliberal the whole time ! I beg this guy give tier 4 a 20/50 - 40% buy out . I’ll take it and run . Get me out of here
If you add the results for the math regents in Algebra I +Geometry + Algebra II = 23:percent. These results were from Bryant High School, but the quality review gave this school an effective rating.
Leave now. The new guy from Miami is a snake! Years ago, Miami-Dade instituted policies whereby Black and Hispanic kids were not to be arrested or even suspended too many times. Crime went down, only because it was ignored or covered up (Miami-Dade Schools have their own PD.) Broward County decided to adopt the same policy. Result - the Parkland massacre. THAT'S why the maniac wasn't arrested when he was in school. Think "restorative justice" is bad? It's draconian compared to what this guy will bring.
This Carvalho guy would've been bad news but I give him credit for giving me the small satisfaction of knowing he shafted DeBozo.
This afternoon it was announced that Alberto Carvalho rescinded his decision to take the job as NYC DOE School Chancellor. The search continues.
According to Alberto Carvalho, 1. he reduced administration by 58% in the first three months of him being superintendant, 2. eliminated those making over $200,000 a year, 3. did not renew 6,000 teacher contracts due to performance (teaching must be observable, measureable and accountable) - did not fire any teacher for economic reasons, 4. fired/demoted 64% of the principals in Miami Dade.
Depending on which speech you listen to from Alberto Carvalho, he fired fired 65%, 80% of principals.
Hi chaz
How do i contact you
My email is Rosenthalpottery@yahoo.com
Im a doe vet. 29.5 years district 75. On my way to psych test at court street.
Thanks
E
As long as the New Challlor acts differently than Carmen we will be ok.
So glad this guy backed out. After listening to this guy speak with his immigrant slang I said to myself oh my God will I have to listen to this guy every day?? Listen to him saying he regrets leaving his home country. What?? Yeah right this guy would have been making over 300 thou working in his home country. Lets bring in a true American and stop with these people from other countries!!!
What makes this guy so great any way?? This guy was touted as the next babe ruth but exactly what did this guy do in miami where Jeb Bush stripped everything anyway?? The teachers there make shit money after Jeb Bush created his utopia education on the cheap. We dodged a bullet chaz.
Alberto Carvalho changed his mind. He finally realized what a POS system the nycdoe is!! Mayor Stretch Armstrong has egg on his face. LOVED IT!!
In my high school, the teachers of General Ed classes were never informed at the start of a term of who the mainstreamed Special Ed students were. Then, at some point, during the term, guidance counselors would send for us to sign forms that we had neither previously received nor read.
When I occasionally had paras, they preferred to sit in the back and mark quizzes and tests, rather than walk around the room to help students.
Anon 11:01
He also "makes faces". Constantly scowling and making emotional faces like he's "upset" about something.
So everything is about how he "feels".
F ing full of himself. DRAMA QUEEN!!!!!
He pulled his idiotic exit because he was "insulted".
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