From a Report by Access Living (Dec. 22, 2008):
Arne Duncan and student outcomes in the Chicago Public Schools
On December 16, 2008, President Elect Obama introduced Arne Duncan, CEO of the Chicago Public Schools, as the Secretary of Education designate. Locally, and nationwide, Duncan has earned a reputation as a school reformer in the area of general education.
Since 2001, when Duncan’s tenure began, CPS has:
- Increased the percent of elementary school students reading at or above the national norms by 3 percentage points to 43.2 percent. Reading scores increased in 72% of all elementary schools.
- Increased the percent of elementary school students performing at or above the national norms in math by 3.8 percentage points to 46.9 percent. Math scores increased in 74% of all elementary schools.
- Increased the percentage of students meeting State Standards, from 38.3% in the 2000-2001 school year, to 65.2% in the 2007-2008 school year.
- Started the Renaissance Schools initiative, including opening numerous new schools under an educational concept that has sought to serve as the model for replacing failing schools.
With regards to the 53,000 students with disabilities attending Chicago Public Schools, during Duncan’s tenure:
o
From FY 09 through FY 2012, CPS has
committed $23 million per year of Capital Project Funds for Americans with
Disabilities Act projects. These projects will make numerous previously
non-accessible schools available for students with disabilities, and will allow
some students, who would have been bused long distances, to attend schools in
their own communities.
o
In November 2008, Access Living issued a
report based on the survey data[i] collected
by CPS Staff for former CPS Students with disabilities. The survey data indicated that, of those CPS
students with disabilities who allegedly went directly into the workforce after
dropping out or graduating, 67.5% were unemployed.
o
Only 1.9% of former CPS students with
disabilities surveyed were enrolled in a four year college one full year after
graduation. Based on national longitudinal
analysis, about 16% of students with disabilities gain a Bachelor’s degree, 6%
get an Associates Degree, and about another 19% gain a certificate of any type
five years after graduation.[ii]
o
In 2006, Duncan proposed to cut $26.5 million
from the CPS FY 07 Special Education Budget.
If the cuts had been implemented, an estimated 200 special education
teachers and 750 special education aides would have been laid off. The $26 million would have been nearly 50% of
the total cuts to the CPS budget for fiscal year 2007. Students with disabilities represent less
than 20% of the overall CPS Student Body.
After critical response from the Chicago disability community, Duncan
restored nearly half the $26 million in cuts.
o
In 1997, the CPS entered into the Corey H Settlement Agreement, under
which CPS agreed to place students with disabilities in the least restrictive
environment. The Seventh Circuit ruled
to extend the settlement agreement until 2010.
During his tenure as CEO, Duncan appealed the extension of the settlement. The Court of Appeals rejected the
appeal.
o The gap in reading performance between CPS students who were disabled and non-disabled grew consistently between 2001 and 2006 at most grade levels.[iii] For the subgroup of students with disabilities, progress is required to be measured under NCLB by the extent they close the achievement gap with their non-disabled peers.[iv] (see chart)
Performance Gap in
Reading grades 3, 5, 8, and 11
While Duncan earned a reputation as an innovator with CPS, several of the points listed above indicate that outcomes for the 53,000 students with disabilities in Chicago have lagged behind. As Secretary of Education for the United States, Duncan would have the opportunity to dramatically impact outcomes for students with and without disabilities throughout the nation. Access Living urges Duncan, the Department of Education and the Obama Administration to adopt and support policies and programs that enable all students to have equal access to opportunities in education. With regards to students with disabilities, Access Living urges the Obama Administration to implement the goals listed below. These goals come from a coalition of consumer controlled disability groups that have developed recommendations for the new administration:
· Fully Fund the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) to ensure the rights of students with disabilities to a free and appropriate public education in the least restrictive setting and the development of effective, innovative special education programs based on the needs and issues of students with disabilities.
· Protect students with disabilities from school abuse, including electroshock and aversive therapies. Require schools to enforce federal laws that protect people with disabilities from abuse in institutional and treatment settings.
· Expand and enhance the commitment to funding, effective monitoring and enforcement of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act.
·
Integrate the re-authorization of the
Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) and IDEA so they are
accountability-focused, research-driven and advance opportunities for
students with disabilities.
·
Improve Student Transition: Work to
create mechanisms and opportunities that allow students with disabilities to
pursue higher education and a direct transition to work, and eliminate barriers
that prevent students with disabilities from higher education and employment.
Chicago’s only center for independent living, Access Living is a cross disability organization, nationally recognized as a leader in the field of independent living and a premier local provider of services for people with disabilities. As an advocate on behalf of students with disabilities in Chicago, Access Living has a long history of working on behalf of students in the Chicago Public Schools. For more information, contact Gary Arnold at 312.640.2199 (voice), 312.640.2102 (TTY); or Rodney Estvan at 312-640-2149 (voice).
[i] Estvan, R. D. (November 2008) “Post Secondary Outcomes For Chicago Public School Students with Disabilities” Access Living Chicago Illinois.
[ii]
Horn, L and Bertold, J. (1999, June) Students
with Disabilities in
[iii] Data Source: Interactive Illinois Report Card for SD 299 Achievement Gap IEP non-IEP.
[iv] NCLB requires that states set performance targets for students with disabilities to close existing performance gaps.
How do we express our concerns in this matter to the incoming administration?
Posted by: James Swanson | December 24, 2008 at 02:09 PM
The national disabled community should be using this window of opportunity to be heard about equal access reform. We can share the media spot light (under the microscope) on the designate Secretary of Education to alter the media on what concerns we have about Arne Duncan representing disabled students and what equal access reform we expect him to implement as the new Secretary of Education. Especially since President Elect Barack Obama has promised a ‘comprehensive agenda to empower individuals with disabilities to fits in with equalizing opportunities for all Americans, to reclaim America's global leadership on this issue by becoming a signatory to -- and having the Senate ratify -- the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities”. His promise includes a four-part plan designed to provide lifelong supports and resources to Americans with disabilities. The first part is the most important faucet to achieve equality, because of significant failure in four-year Universities is as follows:
“First, provide Americans with disabilities with the educational opportunities they need to succeed.
Second, end discrimination and promote equal opportunity.
Third, increase the employment rate of workers with disabilities.
And fourth, support independent, community-based living for Americans with disabilities.”
Elisabeth Doyle, an international law attorney states,
“There is no emphasis on vocational training here in the U.S. under the law and it’s very difficult to talk seriously about raising levels of people with disabilities in the workforce when we’re not also talking about vocational training and education”.
Sadly, it seems some school “faculty and staff members believe students who use accommodations are not being held to the same rigorous academic standards as their peers. Although that has never been the purpose of accommodations, the ‘perception’ of the reduction of academic standards exists, and ‘hurts’ students with disabilities”. Emphasis Added.
President Elect Obama supported the passing of the new ADA Amendment Act (ADAAA), which will take affect January 1, 2009. Nevertheless, we should have great concerns with the regulatory agencies enforcing these new disability anti-discrimination laws, since they seem to have an overwhelming national backlog of pending discrimination and retaliation cases.
In a recent telephone conversation with Tom Webb, at the Higher Education Government Accountability Committee Office, he confirmed the serious problems with the U.S. Department of Education backlog of discrimination cases that extended well over a years before they are investigated, if at all. He also announced there is some major housecleaning underway at the U.S. Department of Education. As a result, we should see some marked changes in the next few months.
Nevertheless, the U.S. Department of Education, Department of Justice and other governmental agencies were all opposed to the new ADA Amendment Act that also amended the Rehabilitation Act. Therefore, in order to accomplish President Elect first step,
“Provide Americans with disabilities with the educational opportunities they need to succeed”,
we must hold designate Arne Duncan Secretary of Education and all other in the regulatory agency law enforcement position accountable to enforce equal access reform. If not, it does not matter how many new laws are passed (i.e. new ADA Amendment Act, amended Rehabilitation Act, Higher Education Opportunity Act, etc.), if none of the regulatory agencies will properly enforce Civil Rights laws to protect the disabled students. Therefore, we need an independent watchdog regulatory agency in America to protect the disabled community and implement equal access. reform.equalaccessreform.com
Posted by: Karen L. MacElroy | December 26, 2008 at 01:53 PM
We have a wonderful opportunity for equal access reform.
The national disabled community should be using this window of opportunity to be heard about equal access reform. We can share the media spot light (under the microscope) on the designate Secretary of Education to alter the media on what concerns we have about Arne Duncan representing disabled students and what equal access reform we expect him to implement as the new Secretary of Education. Especially since President Elect Barack Obama has promised a ‘comprehensive agenda to empower individuals with disabilities to fits in with equalizing opportunities for all Americans, to reclaim America's global leadership on this issue by becoming a signatory to -- and having the Senate ratify -- the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities”. His promise includes a four-part plan designed to provide lifelong supports and resources to Americans with disabilities. The first part is the most important faucet to achieve equality, because of significant failure in four-year Universities is as follows:
“First, provide Americans with disabilities with the educational opportunities they need to succeed.
Second, end discrimination and promote equal opportunity.
Third, increase the employment rate of workers with disabilities.
And fourth, support independent, community-based living for Americans with disabilities.”
Elisabeth Doyle, an international law attorney states,
“There is no emphasis on vocational training here in the U.S. under the law and it’s very difficult to talk seriously about raising levels of people with disabilities in the workforce when we’re not also talking about vocational training and education”.
Sadly, it seems some school “faculty and staff members believe students who use accommodations are not being held to the same rigorous academic standards as their peers. Although that has never been the purpose of accommodations, the ‘perception’ of the reduction of academic standards exists, and ‘hurts’ students with disabilities”. Emphasis Added.
President Elect Obama supported the passing of the new ADA Amendment Act (ADAAA), which will take affect January 1, 2009. Nevertheless, we should have great concerns with the regulatory agencies enforcing these new disability anti-discrimination laws, since they seem to have an overwhelming national backlog of pending discrimination and retaliation cases.
In a recent telephone conversation with Tom Webb, at the Higher Education Government Accountability Committee Office, he confirmed the serious problems with the U.S. Department of Education backlog of discrimination cases that extended well over a years before they are investigated, if at all. He also announced there is some major housecleaning underway at the U.S. Department of Education. As a result, we should see some marked changes in the next few months.
Nevertheless, the U.S. Department of Education, Department of Justice and other governmental agencies were all opposed to the new ADA Amendment Act that also amended the Rehabilitation Act. Therefore, in order to accomplish President Elect first step,
“Provide Americans with disabilities with the educational opportunities they need to succeed”,
we must hold designate Arne Duncan Secretary of Education and all other in the regulatory agency law enforcement position accountable to enforce equal access reform. If not, it does not matter how many new laws are passed (i.e. new ADA Amendment Act, amended Rehabilitation Act, Higher Education Opportunity Act, etc.), if none of the regulatory agencies will properly enforce Civil Rights laws to protect the disabled students. Therefore, we need an independent watchdog regulatory agency in America to protect the disabled community and implement equal access reform.
EqualAccessReform.com
Footnotes:
1. Thompson’s ADA Compliance Guide newsletter, Disability Advocates Encourage Obama To Sign Disability Rights Treaty, December 2008/Vol. 19.No. 12
2. Cory, Ph.D., Rebecca C. (2009) Rationale for Using Universal Design January 2009 Section 504 Compliance Handbook newsletter, No. 362, p.4-5
3. Tom Webb , Higher Education Government Accountability Committee Office in charge of covering disability at 202-226-2068
Posted by: Karen L. MacElroy | December 26, 2008 at 02:02 PM
Happy New Year, especially since the ADA Amendment Act (ADAAA) that amends the Rehabilitation Act came into affect today.
We do have practical solutions to significantly boost the economy, increase tax revenues, and reduce the number of recipients on Social Security Disability, Welfare, MediCal and Medicare, which would stimulate the economy and reduce our nations deficit. However, “there is no emphasis on vocational training here in the U.S. under the law and it’s very difficult to talk seriously about raising levels of people with disabilities in the workforce when we’re not also talking about vocational training and education” Elisabeth Doyle Esq. declares. This is exactly why the U.S. Department of Education Office of Special Education and Rehabilitation Services are awarding four million dollars to improve policies and practices, and public benefits, which would increase equal access to qualified disabled students to “provide Americans with disabilities with the educational opportunities they need to succeed. Second, end discrimination and promote equal opportunity. Third, increase the employment rate of workers with disabilities. Fourth, support independent, community-based living for Americans with disabilities.” and why I have created Equal Access Reform http://www.equalaccessreform.com/ to help all disabled students nationally achieve equal access.
Lastly, Colleges and Universities need to recognize the important aspects of providing the needed “effective’ accommodations to the disabled students or even moving towards Universal Design, which provides additional opportunity of equality to not only disabled students, but also all minorities and non-disabled students, reducing the need for individual accommodations and services.
Posted by: Karen L. MacElroy | January 01, 2009 at 09:34 PM
Does the Education Rendered Comport with the IEP? Author: Anne M. Zachry
In special education, the implementing regulations of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (“IDEA”) establish the basic framework of how the process is supposed to work, but it’s the case law that comes from due process cases and their appeals that refine the use of some terms in many cases. Often, the case law summarizes bits and pieces of the regulations taken from different legal citations to arrive at the formal definition of a particular term, such as the definition of a Free and Appropriate Public Education (“FAPE”). Read the rest of this entry »http://www.kps4parents.org/blog/
Posted by: kps_dg | July 23, 2010 at 02:39 PM