Baltimore County Public Schools’ Office of Equity and Assurance in collaboration with: Department of Professional Development World Languages Special Education Title I Instructional Technology Student Support Services

Race to the TopNational CurriculumGlobal CompetitionMaryland Education Reform ActBCPS Blueprint for Progress

To deal frankly with barriers that are primarily expressed as cultural differences that impede the educational process To examine the elements of student culture, school culture, and the culture of the staff

Learner Peer Influences Curriculum Home/ Community Classroom Environment

Communicate Behave Think and learn Participate in the educational process

Considers all those affective variables Considers all those environmental variables Considers all those communication variables

Through the BPP and our demographic trends… How close are we to All means All?

By 2012, all students will reach high standards, as established by the Baltimore County Public Schools and state performance level standards, in English/reading/writing, mathematics, science, and social studies.

86% of all students are proficient in Math 88.6% of all students are proficient in reading

By 2012, all English language learners will become proficient in English and reach high academic standards in English/reading/writing, mathematics, science, and social studies.

70.59% of LEP students graduate 85.8 % of LEP students are proficient in math 81.5% of LEP students are proficient in reading

All students will graduate from high school.

86% of all students graduate So what about the 14% that don’t?

83% of children entering BCPS enter ready…. The suggestion is that we are highly successful with students positioned for success….

From around 15% of all students are not successful according to our goals as outlined in the Blueprint for Progress What about the rest of them….what about the approximately 15% that need more support to meet with success

Matching teaching styles to learning styles Research Personal commitment Change Changing teacher behaviors Transformation

School Value System vs. Home Value System Confront the implied norms of school and classroom practices!

Construct of Public Education Deficit Thinking vs. Asset Based Thinking Interpreting students differences as a deficit and not an asset promotes stereotypes and compromises access Be mindful of the “Stereotype Threat” and the excessive focus on intervention instead of the quality implementation of the core curriculum Language Barriers Compromises Access Use of educational jargon Implicit vs. Explicit Curriculum – Address the “hidden” curriculum by building students’ background knowledge and vocabulary

"Special education is not a place where children go for services, but services children receive in accordance with their Individual Education Plans (IEPs) in the least restrictive environment."

Culture Clash Least Restrictive Most Restrictive General Education Nonpublic School Public Separate Day School Special Class  Inclusive Education  Early Childhood Learning Support  Adapted Learning Support  Behavior & Learning Support  Communication & Learning Support  Functional Academic Learning Support  Learning Support for Students who are Deaf/Hard of Hearing

Service Delivery Models for SWD One barrier associated with inclusion is a lack of communication among administrators, teachers, specialists, staff, parents, and students. Open communication and coordinated planning between general education teachers and special education staff are essential for inclusion to work. Parental Involvement and Perceptions Parental perceptions of their roles as communicators and decision makers in the special education process are often stifled due to cultural differences. Special Education terminology is often a barrier in itself. Non-English speaking parents are many times intimidated by the IEP process and do not fully understand their rights. Parents sometimes do not participate in the IEP process, not because they do not care, but because they do not understand.

A unique set of circumstances Acute crises of relevance Low expectations as expressed by low outcomes Curriculum and Instructional practices that does not address diversity or student response

Disconnection between student language and teacher language What’s with all the verve? Socialization as an educational medium.

One example of potential culture clash is the situation of the English language learner new to Baltimore County and possibly to United States’ schools

Conflict for the student may arise between what is being emphasized at home (English for negotiating world of work, helping the family, communicating in the community) vs. what is expected by the school (English for academic achievement)

Language Culture Context afforded non-verbal communication Indirect vs. direct communication style Value of individual vs. collaborative work Concepts of respect and honor

Group One Students born in the US (number 1 country of origin for ELLs) Students and families fully acculturated, or Students acculturated, but families not yet acculturated, and parents not fluent English speakers

Group Two Students recently immigrated into the US Parents with a strong educational background, or Parents having limited educational opportunities

Meeting the Needs of Economically Disadvantaged Students Office of Title I website (internet and intranet) Office of Title I Resource Teacher, Program Specialists, Supervisors, and Coordinator School Improvement Planning Documents National Center for Children in Poverty Meeting the needs of African American Males Office of Equity and Assurance Website College Board The Schott Foundation Maryland State Department of Education

Meeting the needs of English Language Learners Five Bilingual ESOL Family/School Liaisons access to interpreters home/school connection One Secondary ELL School Support Liaison Office of World Languages website Language line Translated Behavior Handbooks

Meeting the needs of Students with Disabilities Office of Special Education website (internet and intranet) Office of Special Education Resource Teachers, Specialists, Supervisors, Coordinators and Director Maryland State Department of Education, Division of Special Education/Early Intervention Services