napcs-improving access and creating exceptional opportunities for students with disabilities in...
TRANSCRIPT
-
7/27/2019 NAPCS-Improving Access and Creating Exceptional Opportunities for Students With Disabilities in Public Charter Schools
1/36
Improving Access and Creating ExceptionalOpportunities for Students with
Disabilities in Public Charter Schools
B Lren Morndo Rhm nd Pl ONellNonl Cener or Specl Edcon n Chrer Schools
Otoer 21, 2013
-
7/27/2019 NAPCS-Improving Access and Creating Exceptional Opportunities for Students With Disabilities in Public Charter Schools
2/36
ExECutivE SuMMaRy
Rohl 13 percen o sdens enrolled n pblc schools he dsbl h
qles hem o recee sppor serces nder he mbrell o specl edcon
nd reled serces. the mjor o hese sdens cn be epeced o chee on
pr wh her peers who do no reqre ddonl sppors. and he mos recen
CREDO repor ond h cross he ses nlzed, sdens wh dsbles
enrolled n chrer schools operormed her peers n mhemcs. Proson o
specl edcon nd reled serces n pblc chrer schools hs been n ononsorce o debe snce he secors ncepon: Where do hese new, onomos
schools n he oporph o pblc schools nder ederl specl edcon
reqremens? and re pblc chrer schools welcomn sdens wh derse
lernn needs? Whle mch o he debe hs been nfenced b snle-cse
necdoes nd hperbole, where here s smoe here s oen re. the chrer secor
needs o procel ddress concerns reled o ccess nd proson o ql
serces or sdens wh dsbles.
ths repor eplores he relen lel rmewor h shpes specl edcon n
he chrer secor; olnes boh he chllenes nd oppornes presened b se
pblc chrer school lws h cree onomos schools h opere seprerom or lonsde rdonl pblc school dsrcs; nd denes e cconbl
srcres. Eors o chne he dnmcs ms ocs on (1) cren ql
prorms h rc derse rr o sdens nd (2) holdn cconble chrer
schools h ll shor, b desn or del, o welcomn nd spporn sdens
wh dsbles. Bsed on lel cons n New Orlens nd Wshnon, D.C., nd
necdoes rom oher ces where ccess nd serce proson re ncresnl
nder mcroscope, chrer schools h l o chr n nenonl corse reled
o sdens wh dsbles m be sbjec o cmbersome relor brdens
dnced b chrer opponens. Howeer, pblc chrer schools do no need o w
nl reqred o mproe her pproch o edcn sdens wh dsbles. the
ollown cons cn help operors nd sppor ornzons procel ensreh her schools no onl welcome b lso cree eceponl oppornes or ll
sdens, ncldn sdens wh dsbles.
Improving Access and Creating Exceptional
Opportunities for Students with
Disabilities in Public Charter Schools
2
National Alliance for Public Charter Schools
ImprovIng Access And creAtIng exceptIonAl opportunItIes
for students wIth dIsAbIlItIes In publIc chArter schools
-
7/27/2019 NAPCS-Improving Access and Creating Exceptional Opportunities for Students With Disabilities in Public Charter Schools
3/36
1. Advocate To Address Policy Barriers
Pblc chrer schools ce brrers semmn rom dosncrc se chrer
ses, polces, nd rdonl dsrc prcces (e.., neqble ndn, ncler
deleon o responsbl nd hor, nd lmed ccess o crcl specl
edcon nrsrcres). Rher hn pssel ccep hese brrers, chrer
operors nd sppor ornzons cn orm colons nd moblze prens o
doce or polc chnes n he bes neress o sdens wh dsbles.
2. Adopt Key Instructional Strategies To Support All Students
Bes prcces sch s preschool; unersl Desn or Lernn; nd robs Response
o inerenon prorms h he lser shrp ocs on erl lerc, ql
nsrcon, reed nerenons, nd proress monorn bene ll sdens,
prclrl sdens wh dsbles wh derse lernn needs.
3. Identiy Strategic Partnerships and Coalitions
Mn pblc chrer schools re smll, he lmed bdes, nd lc e
nsonl rones nd srcres. Whle hese condons re chllenn,he cree n enronmen h s rpe or enreprenerl nnoon. Srec
prnershps wh oher pblc chrer schools, esn commn ornzons
(e.., menl helh proders), nd een rdonl pblc schools cn bld nd
eend chrer schools cpc reled o specl edcon.
4. Hire Intentionally and Well
De prmrl o smll school sze, mn pblc chrer school emploees need o
be ble o wer mlple hs. Conseqenl, he le o nddl emploees s
mpledpblc chrer schools ms hre eceednl well. Hrn nenonll
reqres cler ndersndn o how prclr poson s whn hebroder school pzzle. i lso m reqre ben cree bo job descrpons
o ll leere nddl echers nd dmnsrors nqe slls. Prodn
derened sppors o sdens wh derse lernn needs depends on hrn
slled emploees who no onl ndersnd specl edcon lw, b lso, more
mporn, ndersnd how o ccommode nddl sdens needs.
5. Track, Analyze, and Report Data
Mch o he dloe rerdn specl edcon n he chrer secor s dren
b necdoes nd olers, b d re essenl o resoned conerson. Pblc
chrer school operors nd sppor rops cn pre-emp poenll cmbersomedemnds rom opponens b procel collecn nd reporn d rerdn
specl edcon.
3
National Alliance for Public Charter Schools
ImprovIng Access And creAtIng exceptIonAl opportunItIes
for students wIth dIsAbIlItIes In publIc chArter schools
-
7/27/2019 NAPCS-Improving Access and Creating Exceptional Opportunities for Students With Disabilities in Public Charter Schools
4/36
6. Own and Address Shortcomings
to de, enoh pblc chrer schools he llen shor n enrolln nd eecel
sern sdens wh dsbles h cnowledn nd ddressn hese
shorcomns s mporn o chne he dloe bo specl edcon n he
secor. in prclr, pblc chrer schools h he srled o rc nd ren
sdens need o ene qled personnel, prens, nd locl specl edcon
doces o enhnce her prorms nd mproe her repons n he specledcon commn. Pblc chrer schools need o own nd ddress percepons,
nd n some cses, rel shorcomns, o rc sdens.
EDuCatiNg StuDENtS
WitH DiSaBiLitiES iN PuBLiC
CHaRtER SCHOOLS
appromel 6.4 mllon sdens13.1 percen o he sden poplonbeween he es o s nd 21recee specl edcon nd reled serces
n pblc schools eer er.1 Nne-e percen o hese sdens re enrolled n
nehborhood schools, nd he s mjor spend mos o he d n enerl
edcon clssroom.2 Whle hese sdens reqre derse rr o serces o help
hem ll ccess he enerl edcon crrclm, mos o hem cn chee he
sme cdemc ocomes s her peers who dsbles.3
as he chrer secor eners s md-20s, oh o ele boh s srenhs nd
s wenesses.4 to mee he mbos ols h dre he secor, seholders
ms doble down on eors o ensre no onl h ll sdens cn ccess pblc
chrer schools, b lso h chrer school leders re commed o crennd ssnn brn pblc schools h nclde ocsed eor on nern
ecellen oppornes or sdens boh wh nd who dsbles.
It is time or the charter community itsel to x
the ailings in the sector, so that more children have
the chance to attend a great school.
Nonl assocon o Chrer School ahorzers (2013). One Million Lives.
two decdes no he eolon o he chrer secor, we he wnessed ecn
nnoons nd epnded oppornes or sdens n lre rbn dsrcs, mdsze
sbrbn dsrcs, nd remoe rrl commnes. ye, o de, he secor hs no
4
National Alliance for Public Charter Schools
ImprovIng Access And creAtIng exceptIonAl opportunItIes
for students wIth dIsAbIlItIes In publIc chArter schools
-
7/27/2019 NAPCS-Improving Access and Creating Exceptional Opportunities for Students With Disabilities in Public Charter Schools
5/36
eecel leered s onom o nenonll deelop eemplr prorms nd
serces or specc rop o sdens who lern derenl: sdens wh dsbles.
ths repor olnes he e lws h shpe how pblc schools edce sdens wh
dsbles; rses sses chrer school horzers, operors, nd sppor ornzons
ms consder when deelopn ql specl edcon prorms; nd nrodces
promsn prcces h he helped seholders bld cpc o ensre h
sdens wh dsbles cn no onl ccess b lso hre n pblc chrer schools.
RELEvaNt LEgaL FRaMEWORk
Edcn sdens wh dsbles n pblc schools s shped b n mlm o
ederl, se, nd locl ses, relons, neoed reemens, nd esblshed
no lws besprcces. Eors o mproe oppornes whn he chrer secor
ms consder hese rmewors, s he ll nfence school-leel prcce.
Federal Special Education Statutes and Regulations
the rles nd relons h de how we pproch edcn sdens wh
dnosed dsbles, rnn rom mld lernn dsbles o sncn cone
or phscl mprmens, rew o o he cl rhs moemenncldn he
eql proecon sndrd esblshed b he Brown v. Board o Education cse (1954).
adocc eors ocsed on chnn prcces h lrel releed poor sdens
nd sdens wh dsbles o sereed sens nd lmed her ccess o
edcon led o or e ederl lws h nobl nfence edcon prcce n
u.S. pblc schools od nd speccll he edcon o sdens wh dsbles.5
Eeetary ad Seodary Edatio At of 1965 (ESEA)
ESEa s ederl se desned o prode ses, dsrcs, nd schools wh
ddonl ndn o bene chldren ln below or js boe he ederl poer
leel. 6 Oer he corse o he ls e decdes, ESEa hs eoled o conn mlple
les (.e., specc ndn srems) deeloped o help -rs sdens. tle i,
deeloped o help sdens rs de o poer, s he lres o he ESEa le
prorms. Emples o oher les n ESEa nclde d or mrn chldren, Enlsh
lerners, nd neleced chldren. Rehorzed b he No Chld Le Behnd ac n
2001, he se prorzes cconbl or resls, epnded choce or prens,
reer locl conrol nd febl, nd mplemenon o eece prcces
bsed on scenc reserch. ESEa lrel deers o he inddls wh DsblesEdcon ac nd oher lws n hs ls wh rerd o edcn sdens
wh dsbles. Howeer, he lw does cree specl edcon ceor or
5
National Alliance for Public Charter Schools
ImprovIng Access And creAtIng exceptIonAl opportunItIes
for students wIth dIsAbIlItIes In publIc chArter schools
-
7/27/2019 NAPCS-Improving Access and Creating Exceptional Opportunities for Students With Disabilities in Public Charter Schools
6/36
cconbl prposesone o seerl mjor ceores o he -rs sbrop or
whch dsrcs ms demonsre cdemc proress.
Setio 504 of te Reaiitatio At of 1973 (Setio 504)
Secon 504 s cl rhs se h proecs ns dscrmnon b recpens
o ederl nds. 7 Brod n scope, pples o nddls wh phscl or menl
mprmen h sbsnll lms one or more mjor le ces (sch s
lernn), he record o sch mprmen, or re rerded s hn sch nmprmen. Secon 504 pples where eclson s solel on he bss o dsbl
nd he nddl s oherwse qled o prcpe n n c. People coered
b Secon 504 re enled o ree, ppropre pblc edcon nd resonble
ccommodons n he clssroom nd when n ssessmens b no o
ndmenl lerons o prclr prorm.
Aerias it Disaiities At (ADA)
aDa s noher ederl cl rhs se.8 For he prposes o pblc edcon,
s er smlr o Secon 504 (e.., boh prorms re oerseen b he Oce or
Cl Rhs o he u.S. Deprmen o Edcon sn he sme relons). the
rech o aDa s een broder hn h o Secon 504, snce s no lmed orecpens o ederl nds. tle ii o aDa pples o pblc enes; tle iii pples
o pre enes (reerred o b aDa s pblc ccommodons). Le Secon 504,
aDa ensres phscl ccess o cles. i proecs ns rchecrl brrers nd
ensres prorm ccessbl.
Te Idiidas it Disaiities Edatio At (IDEA)
the Edcon o all Hndcpped Chldren ac o 1975, renmed he inddls
wh Dsbles Edcon ac n 19909, coded de process proecons nd
esblshed ederl ndn srem o help ses prode serces o sdens
wh dsbles.10 iDEa denes school dsrcs s he enr pon or sdens wh
dsbles, es hree o 21, o ccess essenl sppors nd nerenons. Serces
delered nder he spces o iDEa, pcll reerred o s specl edcon nd
reled serces, re proded o enble chldren wh cern ceores o dsbles
o ccess pblc edcon o he sme een s her peers who dsbles.
iDEa esblshes specc delnes rerdn edcn chldren wh dsbles
nd prodes nncl sppor o ses. the lw ssns prmr responsbl or
mplemenon o se edcon ences (SEas), whch n rn lrel delee
he responsbl o nddl school dsrcs, enerll reerred o s locl
edcon ences (LEas).
iDEa esblshes e srcres nd consrcs h shpe how we edce sdens
wh dsbles nd olne process o ensre h pblc schools compl:
Child Find. under iDEa, ses re reqred o deelop polces nd procedres
o ensre h chldren rom brh o e 21 who re elble o recee specl
edcon sppors nd serces re dened, loced, nd eled. the prmr
6
National Alliance for Public Charter Schools
ImprovIng Access And creAtIng exceptIonAl opportunItIes
for students wIth dIsAbIlItIes In publIc chArter schools
-
7/27/2019 NAPCS-Improving Access and Creating Exceptional Opportunities for Students With Disabilities in Public Charter Schools
7/36
prpose o Chld Fnd s o den chldren who re elble or serces nd prode
hem wh erl nerenons. the mnde eends o ll chldren, ncldn
chldren who do no enroll n pblc schools. Mn enes, ncldn pedrcns,
dcre ceners, preschools, nd homeless shelers pcll dssemne normon
reled o Chld Fnd.
Individualized Education Program (IEP). under iDEa, LEas ms prode ech
chld ond o be elble or specl edcon wh n iEP deeloped b em oenerl nd specl edcors, speclss, nd he sdens prens. the iEP olnes
pln o mee he sdens edconl needs, ncldn ols or sden proress
nd he specc serces he LEa wll prode.
Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE). Pblc schools re responsble or
prodn sdens wh dsbles FaPE. the consrcs o ree nd ppropre
edcon men h ech chld s o be proded serces nd prorms dened
b he iEP em s needed o mee he chlds nddl needs, nd hese serces
nd prorms re o be proded b he pblc edcon ssem no cos o
he sdens ml. the sndrd o wh s ppropre edcon hs been
he sbjec o lon. to de, Conress nd he cors he dened FaPE s connm o serces nd sppors necessr o prode sden wh dsbl
ccess o he enerl edcon crrclm. the cors he no llowed LEas o se
cos o dene wh s ppropre. Secon 504 nd aDa ensre FaPE s well.
Least Restrictive Environment (LRE). the prncple o LRE dces h chldren
wh dsbles shold, o he een h s possble nd mees sdens
edconl needs, be edced n he enerl edcon clssroom (.e., nclded)
lonsde her peers who dsbles nd proded wh ppropre ds nd
sppors o mmze her ccess o he enerl edcon crrclm. LRE blds on
he cl rhs prncple h sepre s, b denon, no eql.
The maze o rules and regulations that guide practice shapes
our understanding o special education. Yet, educating students
with disabilities is more similar than dissimilar to educating all
students: Eective instruction leads to student learning.
Boh FaPE nd LRE he been he ocs o eense lon, ncldn nmeros
Spreme Cor cses.11 Dependn on chlds prclr cone or phscl
dsbl, meen he sndrd o FaPE nd LRE cn enl edcn sdens n
rne o sens, rom 100 percen o he school d n enerl edcon
clssroom wh mnml specl ds nd sppors, o 100 percen o he d n
pre resdenl sen wh eense serces. Whle sdens wh dsbles
were hsorcll edced n sereed enronmens nd hen mnsremed s
7
National Alliance for Public Charter Schools
ImprovIng Access And creAtIng exceptIonAl opportunItIes
for students wIth dIsAbIlItIes In publIc chArter schools
-
7/27/2019 NAPCS-Improving Access and Creating Exceptional Opportunities for Students With Disabilities in Public Charter Schools
8/36
deermned ppropre b her iEP em, nclse clssrooms re now he del
poson. th s, sdens re edced n her nehborhood schools n enerl
edcon clssrooms lonsde her peers nd plled o s deemed ppropre
b her iEP em bsed on her nddl needs. Whle ses nd dsrcs he
hsorcll opered sereed schools or specc rops o sdens (e..,
schools or sdens who were de or blnd or sdens wh sncn cone
dsbles), nclson n he enerl edcon clssroom s he del, nd drn he
ls 20 ers, here hs been sncn pressre b specl edcon doces oclose or lm sereed sens.12
the mze o rles nd relons h de prcce shpes or ndersndn
o specl edcon. ye, edcn sdens wh dsbles s more smlr
hn dssmlr o edcn ll sdens: Eece nsrcon leds o sden
lernn. th sd, sccessll edcn sdens wh dsbles reqres (1) h
prconers he hh epecons nd deep ndersndn o how o ech
nd sppor sdens wh derse rr o needs nd (2) h dmnsrors nd
polcmers ndersnd how o ne he comple web o rles nd relons
cred o proec sdens rhs o pblc edcon. gen her nqe needs,
edcn sdens wh dsbles cn be chllenn. Neerheless, s pblcchrer schools presen hemseles s n lerne o rdonl pblc schools,
chrer school leders nd sppor ornzons commmen o allsdens s n
mporn mesre o he secors commmen o eql o opporn.
Charter school leaders and support organizations
commitment to all students is an important measure o
the sectors commitment to equality o opportunity.
State Special Education Statutes and Regulations
iDEa olnes SEas responsbles o edce sdens wh dsbles, nd n rn,
SEas re reqred o deelop ses nd relons o de he mplemenon
o iDEa.13 Some ses he lned specl edcon ses er closel wh iDEa,
wheres oher ses he epnded on he scope o he ederl lw o prescrbe
locl prcce n del. alhoh mos se chrer lws rn pblc chrer schools
wers rom se edcon reqremens, hese ses sll nfence he cones
n whch schools opere.
in ses where pblc chrer schools ms ollow ll or sncn specs o se
edcon code (e.., echer cercon reqremens), he schools need o
compl wh he code nloos o rdonl pblc schools, ncldn se specl
edcon code. in ses where pblc chrer schools re no reqred o ollow
8
National Alliance for Public Charter Schools
ImprovIng Access And creAtIng exceptIonAl opportunItIes
for students wIth dIsAbIlItIes In publIc chArter schools
-
7/27/2019 NAPCS-Improving Access and Creating Exceptional Opportunities for Students With Disabilities in Public Charter Schools
9/36
he edcon code, he m sll be nfenced b becse he res o he pblc
edcon ssem operes n complnce wh he code.
For nsnce, pblc chrer schools n Msschses re her own LEa nd re
no reqred o bde b mos se edcon ses. Hsorcll, e spec
o he specl edcon deler model n Msschses hs been newor o
specl edcon collbores ormed b locl dsrcs h pool resorces o
dmnser e specs o her specl edcon prorms. When pblc chrerschools were rs horzed n Msschses, he se edcon code rerdn
specl edcon collbores ws slen bo chrer schools. Becse pblc
chrer schools were no eplcl permed o jon or orm collbores, he
were orbdden rom ormn specl edcon collbore. Chrer schools
were llowed o jon n esn collbore proded he collbore
reemen perms sch n rrnemen, whch mos dd no.14 ths mnor
echncl sse, whch rose becse pblc chrer schools dd no es when he
leslon permn collbores ws dred, preened chrer schools rom
cren nd redl ccessn collbores. in 2012, he leslre doped
mendmens o he edcon code eplcl permn pblc chrer schools
o cree collbores e specl edcon sppor srcre.15 ths nsncerom Msschses s prme emple o how he nersecon o chrer lws nd
esn se lws cn cree noreseen chllenes or chrer schools.
State Charter School Laws: Establishing Legal Identity
Se chrer school lws he rown more nnced, nd he model lw deeloped
b he Nonl allnce seres s bleprn or new lws (e.., Mne nd
Wshnon) nd mjor mendmens o esn lws (e.., Colordo nd Losn).16
Whle se chrer school lws he mn smlres (e.., pe o horzers,
speccs o wh s reqred n chrer pplcons, nd renewl ccles nd processes),
he lws re hhl dosncrc nd refec he ocomes o lesle processes hnole neoons nd compromses b ros seholders.
Wh ew ecepons, qesons nd concerns bo he een o whch esn
polc prmeers nfence pblc chrer schools bl o prode ql specl
edcon serces he no enered mch se-leel lesle con.17 as ws
he cse he lnch o he moemen, or he prposes o specl edcon, he
e spec o chrer school lw s he esblshmen o chrer schools lel
den s n ndependen LEa or pr o n esn LEa.18
iDEa ssns responsbl or edcn sdens wh dsbles o SEas, whch n
rn, delee he lons shre o he responsbl o LEas. Conseqenl, wheher
pblc chrer school s s own LEa or pr o n esn rdonl LEa deermneshe mnner n whch he school seres sdens wh dsbles.
9
National Alliance for Public Charter Schools
ImprovIng Access And creAtIng exceptIonAl opportunItIes
for students wIth dIsAbIlItIes In publIc chArter schools
-
7/27/2019 NAPCS-Improving Access and Creating Exceptional Opportunities for Students With Disabilities in Public Charter Schools
10/36
Lel reconon s n LEa hs noble prormmc nd nncl mplcons. 19
Pblc chrer schools h opere s ndependen LEas oen he reer reedom
nd responsbln desnn crrcl, hrn echers nd s, nd mplemenn
prorms. also, wh ew ecepons, chrer LEas recee se nd ederl mones
drecl nd he conrol oer how he spend hose nds. Pblc chrer schools
h opere s ndependen LEas re wholl responsble or prodn sdens wh
dsbles ll connm o serces nloos o ml-school dsrc.
Pblc chrer schools h opere s pr o n LEa enerll he ccess o
re o serces hroh he dsrc cenrl oce nloos o rdonl pblc
schools (e.., hmn resorces, rnsporon, nd lel consel). as pr o
lrer, ml-school LEa, he re enerll ble o e dne o he economes
o scle relzed when prchsn re o oods nd serces. Howeer, he
re dened some o he prormmc nd nncl reedoms pcll deemed
crcl o he deelopmen o new nd nnoe schools. Pblc chrer schools
h opere s pr o dsrc sll shre responsbl or specl edcon. in
prcce, hs shred responsbl enerll noles ben reqred o dop he
dsrcs pproch o edcn sdens wh dsbles, rerdless o he een
o whch lns wh he chrer schools msson. the ereme emple o hsson s pblc chrer schools ben reqred o dop he esblshed specl
edcon prorm proded b n LEa, een n nsnces when he dsrc s
opern nder cor-mposed correce con pln (.e., consen decree) de
o lre o compl wh iDEa, s ws he cse n Blmore rom 2003 o 2012.20
Fn pblc chrer schools no polc rmewor h ssns responsbl
ccordn o lel ssn ndependen LEa or pr o n LEahs been
chllene snce he er bennn o he chrer secor.21 Frs, mn se lws lc
clr rerdn lel ss. Frher, some ssn ss ccordn o horzn
en, ledn o pblc chrer schools whn he sme se hn deren lel
denes. Whle hs ders s no necessrl problemc, nrodces noherleel o comple when rn o plce chrer schools whn he lrer pblc
edcon ssem (e.., some chrer schools re ned o prcpe n dsrc
proessonl deelopmen oppornes nd ohers re no). Second, some ses
dene pblc chrer schools s ndependen LEas, ecep or specl edcon (e..,
New Hmpshre nd New yor), hereb rher complcn he lel lndscpe
nd he denon o n LEa. Esn srcres (e.., monorn nd reporn nd
ndn dsrbon ssems) re enerll ll prepred o mne he nrodcon
o new snle-school LEas or onomos schools whn esn LEas. in prcce,
hs conson hs hndered boh polcmers nd prconers eors o ll
ndersnd pblc chrer schools responsbles or bld her cpc reled o
enrolln nd edcn sden wh dsbles.22
10
National Alliance for Public Charter Schools
ImprovIng Access And creAtIng exceptIonAl opportunItIes
for students wIth dIsAbIlItIes In publIc chArter schools
-
7/27/2019 NAPCS-Improving Access and Creating Exceptional Opportunities for Students With Disabilities in Public Charter Schools
11/36
Eorts to ensure that students with disabilities can access
public charter schools and these schools are positioned
to oer strong academic programs or all students are predicated
on understanding and, to the extent possible, mitigating
challenges specic to public charter schools.
Charter Agreements
a pblc chrer schools reemen wh s horzer s he orml docmen
h olnes he msson o he school nd he ocomes or whch he horzer
wll hold he school cconble. in ddon o descrpon o he school, he
reemen enerll olnes specc roles nd responsbles o boh he chrer
school nd he horzer. When pblc chrer school s n LEa, he reemen
pcll conns bre semen o ssrnces o compl wh iDEa nd oher
reled ederl ses. When pblc chrer school s pr o n LEa, he chrer
reemen m smpl se h he rdonl LEa wll be responsble or prodnspecl edcon nd reled serces. idell, he reemen olnes dels
rerdn how he chrer nd he LEa wll ne wh ms be collbore
pproch nd how ech en wll be held cconble or specc specs o serce
deler. For nsnce, he reemen shold rcle who wll be responsble
or condcn Chld Fnd (.e., denn nd eln chldren o deermne
he he dsbl h qles hem o recee specl edcon or reled
serces) nd how decsons rerdn sn nd reled serces wll be mde.
Rerdless o he dels rcled, he reemen s e one more conel pece
h nfences how pblc chrer school pproches edcn sdens wh
dsbles nd how wll be held conseqenl cconble poenl pon o
ocs when srn o mproe he ql o serces.
kEy iSSuES aSSOCiatED WitH
EDuCatiNg StuDENtS WitH DiSaBiLitiES
iN PuBLiC CHaRtER SCHOOLS
Pblc chrer schools rele onom prodes hem n opporn o nnoe
bsen he nrned ssems nd brecrces h cn bnd rdonl pblcschools. ye, more hn 20 ers o eperence ndce h, n prcce, mn
chrer leders he no ll leered hs onom or he bene o sdens
wh dsbles. Mlple chllenes nfence deler o specl edcon nd
11
National Alliance for Public Charter Schools
ImprovIng Access And creAtIng exceptIonAl opportunItIes
for students wIth dIsAbIlItIes In publIc chArter schools
-
7/27/2019 NAPCS-Improving Access and Creating Exceptional Opportunities for Students With Disabilities in Public Charter Schools
12/36
reled serces n he chrer secor. Eors o ensre h (1) sdens wh
dsbles cn ccess pblc chrer schools nd (2) hese schools re posoned o
oer sron cdemc prorms or ll sdens re predced on ndersndn
nd, o he een possble, mn chllenes specc o pblc chrer schools.
the remnder o hs repor smmrzes he e sses nd denes specc seps
h pblc chrer school operors, newor leders, nd sppor ornzons
cn e o ensre no onl h sdens wh dsbles cn ccess schools b lsoh, s secor, chrer schools sccessll leere her onom o deelop
eemplr prorms or sdens wh derse rr o lernn needs.
Equal Access
Ensrn h sdens dsbl does no lm ccess o edcon s core
ene o ederl dsbl lw. as pblc schools, chrer schools re reqred o
opere open enrollmen polces; ederl dnce reled o he denon o
chrer school eplcl denes open enrollmenor school s oersbscrbed,
enrollmen b loers e denn chrcersc o pblc chrer school.
Qesons bo he een o whch pblc chrer schools oer eql ccess o
sdens wh dsbles he been he oreron o he chrer school dloe
he se nd nonl leels snce he erl 1990s.23 Qesons bo eqble
ccess nd ql serces were he sbjec o hern b he u.S. Hose o
Represenes n 201024 nd he ocs o goernmen acconbl Oce
(gaO) repor n 2012.25 usn he mos recen d lble (.e., 200809 o 2009
10), he gaO ond h, on ere, rdonl pblc schools n ses wh chrer
schools den 11 percen o her poplon s hn dsbl, whle chrer
schools den 8 percen. the repor lso dened poenl eplnons or he
deren enrollmen rends (e.., ndeqe pblc chrer school ndn, lmed
cpc de o sze nd newness, rnsporon sses, nd prenl nowlede o
chrer schools) b noed dsnc lc o normon bo cors nderln he
derences nd how he ec enrollmen leels.26
Whle he gaO repor hd noble lmons (e.., smll smple sze nd
qesons rerdn comprbl o nddl pblc chrer school enrollmen
d o dsrc eres), sered o shne brher lh on he sse nd rse
wreness o he c h pblc chrer schools re no enrolln s mn sdens
wh dsbles s rdonl pblc schools. Howeer, we do no he relble
or enerlzble d docmenn he cse o hs rend. Frhermore, hsorc
concerns bo oer-dencon o sdens s elble or specl edcon n
pblc schools, rse noble qesons bo wh proporon o sdens shold be
obnn serces nder he mbrell o iDEa nd Secon 504.
Rsn wreness s crcl o deelopn coheren srees o mproe ccess o
nd he ql o prorms or sdens wh dsbles n pblc chrer schools.
12
National Alliance for Public Charter Schools
ImprovIng Access And creAtIng exceptIonAl opportunItIes
for students wIth dIsAbIlItIes In publIc chArter schools
-
7/27/2019 NAPCS-Improving Access and Creating Exceptional Opportunities for Students With Disabilities in Public Charter Schools
13/36
the chllene s o dscern he een o whch enrollmen rends cll refec
dscrmnor prcces erss oher cors, sch s chrcerscs o prenl
choce or deren reerrl nd dencon res n pblc chrer schools.
i rends do, n c, refec dscrmnor prcces, chrer operors nd
sppor ornzons ms procel deelop solons h ddress he sse
nd spr deelopmen o eemplr prorms. Emples o solons ben
mplemened nclde:
n emnn se, dsrc, nd chrer schools specl edcon polces
nd prcces;
n nenonll neworn wh locl specl edcon docc ornzons;
n deelopn hohl recrmen srees h prposell see o
encore sdens wh dsbles o ppl (see Embrcn Sdens
wh Dsbles on pe 14);
n eplcl ncldn commmen o sdens wh dsbles n recrmen merls;
n nesn n deelopmen o collbore relonshps wh eernl enes odeelop nnoe serce deler models; nd
n rcn nd celebrn sccess o sdens wh dsbles who enroll n
chrer schools.
Whle hese srees re presened s poenl remedes, he re een more
poen s preene mesres h shold rbl be pr o eemplr horzer
nd operor prcce. absen procel ddressn poenl sses, pblc chrer
schools re lnerble o polces h oser brecrc b do no cll
mproe ccess or serces or sdens wh dsbles.
Proactive Practice or Reactive Policy?
as noed, he gaO repor docmened h, on ere, chrer schools enroll
ewer sdens wh dsbles hn her rdonl dsrc peers. to lll her
poenl s eemplr lernes o rdonl pblc schools n robs choce
enronmen, pblc chrer schools ms ddress hese enrollmen ps. Whle
he cors conrbn o he derences reqre more n-deph emnon o
qn mpc (.e., how mch does cor a nfence prcce erss cor B),
cse sd nd sre reserch ndce h mlple cors nsde nd osde
o he chrer secor conrbe o hs rend (e.., prenl choce, iEP em
recommendons, cl nd resorce lmons, nd lc o ndersndn
o iDEa).27 Neerheless, he secor wold bene rom proce nrospecon
rerdn he een o whch horzers, operors, nd sppor ornzons re
prorzn eql ccess or ll sdens.
13
National Alliance for Public Charter Schools
ImprovIng Access And creAtIng exceptIonAl opportunItIes
for students wIth dIsAbIlItIes In publIc chArter schools
-
7/27/2019 NAPCS-Improving Access and Creating Exceptional Opportunities for Students With Disabilities in Public Charter Schools
14/36
EmbRAcIng STuDEnTS wITh DISAbIlITIES: InTEgRATIngSpEcIAl EDucATIOn InTO ThE cORE InSTRucTIOnAl pROgRAm
as ondn school leder, n 2011 Coln Smh o kiPP New Orlens Ledershp Prmr ced or n he rod
reled o specl edcon: He cold eher wl rond on eshells nd w nl complnce pshed hm o
c, or he cold lern s mch s possble. He oped o lern nd o mennll nere sdens wh deren
lernn needs no he core o hs nsrconl prorm nd school clre. in he schools second er o operon,
12.7 percen o hs 220 sdens qled o recee specl edcon nd reled serces.
From he bennn, Smh wored o ensre h hs school welcomed ll sdens nd nered sppors,
ccommodons, nd modcons no he core prorm. For nsnce, rher hn ewn edcn sdens
wh dsbles s sepre, mnor, or speclzed prorm, he mde hs specl edcon coordnor pr o
he ledershp em. ths srcre ensred h he specc needs o ll sdens were consdered when mn
crcl decsons. He lso decded o personll end s mn iEP meens s hs schedle llowed so h he ws
well ersed on he process nd sbsnce o sdens edconl plns. Pr o wh droe Smhs decsons ws
reconon h some o he rsrons he hd ced when worn oher schools semmed rom he school
leder no hn comprehense ndersndn o specl edcon. B bldn hs nowlede bo no js
he complnce sses b lso he edconl sses, he ws ble o de hs decsons nd cree n hencll
nclse enronmen n hs school.
the rs sep o bldn n nclse prorm ws o enroll sdens wh dsbles. Smh oo he ollownmesres o nenonll recr sdens wh dsbles:
n eplcl menoned sdens wh dsbles nd specl edcon n recrmen brochres;
n encored prens o sdens wh dsbles enrolled he school o shre her eperences wh her
newors o prens nd dsbl docc rops;
n nrodced he schools specl edcon phlosoph drn open hose sessons;
n pled deos o he schools dpe phscl edcon drn open hose sessons; nd
n sed homes o prospece sdens nd shred hs phlosoph nd enhssm rerdn proson o specl
edcon nd reled serces.
in ddon o onon nenonl recrmen eors, Smh noed h pr o hs job s connll commncn
hs phlosoph o s nd prens o ensre h he now h ll sdens re welcome nd epeced o chee.
He noed h some see schools s eher collee prepror orble o ccommode sdens who lern derenl.Smh does no ccep hs dchoom. He nsss on hn hh epecons, preprn sdens or collee, and
ccommodn sdens who he derse lernn needs.
Cenrl o Smhs pproch s robs crrclm delered b eece echers nd relr proress monorn
h norms proson o reed nd fd nerenons bsed on ssessmen d. ths er srcred Response
o inerenon model ensres h ems o enerl nd specl edcon echers mee sdens needs s
he rse, rher hn wn or sdens o l. Moreoer, sdens who re elble or specl edcon
serces remn he responsbl o he enerl, s opposed o he specl, edcon echer. ths ssnmen o
responsbl mes cern h he echers wh he rees nowlede o he enerl edcon crrclm re
cconble or ll o her sdens.
Refecn on hs sccesses o de, Smh noed h hs pproch benes he enre sden poplon becse o
cn deelop eperse o moe poce o lerners, o wll be ble o leere he lessons o rech ll o or ds.
Sources: Louisiana School Finder, http://laschoolnder.com/schools/detail/65/KIPP-New-Orleans-Leadership-Primary; personal
communication with Colin Smith, ounding school leader, KIPP New Orleans Leadership Primary (May 6, 2013).
14
National Alliance for Public Charter Schools
ImprovIng Access And creAtIng exceptIonAl opportunItIes
for students wIth dIsAbIlItIes In publIc chArter schools
-
7/27/2019 NAPCS-Improving Access and Creating Exceptional Opportunities for Students With Disabilities in Public Charter Schools
15/36
the enrollmen nd reenon polc n New yor (see Enrollmen nd Reenon
tres n New yor on pe 15) s conr le o wh cn hppen when
he e cors posoned o dre mennl chne elec no o ne chne.
the 2010 New yor Se leslon mndn h pblc chrer schools mee
enrollmen res or specc rops o sdens, ncldn sdens wh dsbles,
cme on he heels o ers o concerns nd debes rerdn enrollmen rends. is ncler o wh een nddl chrer schools n New yor he procel
soh o ncrese he nmber o sdens rom he reed rops who enrolled
nd perssed n her schools. Srees h some schools he mplemened o
EnROllmEnT AnD RETEnTIOn TARgETS In nEw YORk:gOOD InTEnTIOnS buT QuESTIOnAblE pOlIcY
in 2010, concern rerdn pblc chrer school enrollmen nd reenon rends led he New yor leslre
o dop lne reled o enrollmen res. the se reqres pblc chrer schools o mee or eceed
enrollmen nd reenon res or sdens wh dsbles, Enlsh lne lerners (ELL), nd sdens who
re elble or he ree nd redced-prce lnch prorm pror o pprol o chrer renewl pplcons. the se
reqred chrer school horzers n New yor o deelop mehod o compre enrollmen rends n pblc chrer
schools o rends n rdonl dsrc schools o ssess wheher here s dscernble derence. the horzers
deeloped n ssessmen mehod h enls comprn chrer enrollmen rends o prome dsrc enrollmen
rends or he specc rops o sdens (e.., compre he percene o sdens wh dsbles n nddl
chrer schools o he percene enrolled n he dsrc n whch he chrer schools re phscll loced).
the enrollmen nd reenon res re problemc or wo e resons. Frs, he noon o res prespposes
correc represenon o rops. Whle hs m wor or chrcerscs sch s ender, dencon s elble o
recee specl edcon or recee Enlsh lne sppor cn be sbjece. For nsnce, whle specl edcon
enrollmen hoers close o 11 percen nonll, when hs re s dsreed b se nd dsrc, here s
re del o rbl. addonll, he re enrollmen d cree n ncene o oerden sdens nd do
no ccon or eors o sere sdens osde o orml sppor prorms. For emple, he polc m penlze
schools h re ble o prode sppors h enble chld o scceed nd e specl edcon. Redcn he
nmber o sdens dened o recee speclzed serces h sepre hem rom her peers s ldble olor ll speclzed prorms, whch shold be encored. i school operes n eemplr ELL prorm, second
lne lerners shold, n heor, sccessll e he prorm becse he cn hre bsen he sppors.
Who mens o cnowlede nenonl eors o sere sdens beore he ls hroh he esblshmen
o hh-ql Response o inerenon modelhe ses ched o chen he re enrollmen nmbers
sere s n ncene o oerden sdens or specl edcon nd poenll lower he epecons or hese
sdens proress. Worse, he polc s slen rerdn cl ql o serces or ocomes or sdens n he
dened rops.
a hs pon, wheher mplemenon o enrollmen nd reenon res cn cll ddress nderrepresenon
s ncler. addressn he sse o proporone represenon reqres polc docc o ddress cors h
hnder enrollmen nd reenon nd echncl sssnce desned o ensre h operors re eqpped o prode
serces nd, n rn, horzers re eqpped o hold nl pplcns, opern schools, nd renewl pplcns
cconble or enrollmen polces.
Source: New York State Education Department and SUNY Charter Schools Institute, Setting enrollment and retention target as required by
the NYS Charter Schools Act, joint presentation (2012).
15
National Alliance for Public Charter Schools
ImprovIng Access And creAtIng exceptIonAl opportunItIes
for students wIth dIsAbIlItIes In publIc chArter schools
-
7/27/2019 NAPCS-Improving Access and Creating Exceptional Opportunities for Students With Disabilities in Public Charter Schools
16/36
ncrese enrollmen nclde reed recrmen eors nd ocsed orech o
specl edcon docc rops nd pren sppor newors.
a nmber o ses he lne n her chrer school ses h perms
schools o e sdens rom specc rops (e.., sdens enrolled n low-
perormn schools, sdens rom hh-poer commnes, nd sdens wh
dsbles) preerence n enrollmen loeres. Howeer, o de here hs no been
docmenon o n ses leern hese preerences o ddress enrollmenconcerns. absen n nenonl eor o recr nd ren sdens rom re
o rdonll mrnlzed rops, ncldn rcn nd docmenn her
ocomes, chrer schools m ncresnl be sbjec o polcmn h
hnders rher hn helps her eors o cree ql schools or ll sdens (see
Embrcn Sdens wh Dsbles on pe 14).
Special Education Service Provision
Specl edcon s n mbrell erm or wde re o ccommodons,
sppors, nd serces (e.., nddlzed nsrcon, smpled or shorer
ssnmens, or eended me o complee ess) proded b enerl nd specledcon echers h enble sdens o ccess he enerl edcon crrclm
nd row boh cdemcll nd socll. Reled serces re deelopmenl,
correce, or sppor serces proded b speclss h help sdens bene
rom specl edcon (e.., speech or occponl herp, dolo serces,
nddl conseln, nd rnsporon).
Decsons reled o specl edcon serces re mde b n iEP em. tem
members pcll nclde echers, speclss, prens, nd needed, sden
doces. Once sden s dened s elble or specl edcon serces,
he iEP em deelops prorm desned o prode he sden wh ccess o
he enerl edcon crrclm nd sppors h wll enble hem o scceed
en her lernn needs. the del plcemen or sdens wh dsbles s
he enerl edcon clssroom lonsde her peers who dsbles. i he
nre o sdens dsbles lms h sdens bl o bene rom ben
edced n he enerl edcon clssroom, he sden m recee serces
osde o he clssroom or pr or ll o he d, ncldn poenll osde o he
nehborhood school.
Mlple qle nlses he docmened h pblc chrer schools, on
ere, sere more o her sdens wh dsbles n enerl edcon
clssrooms.28 Howeer, hs rend hs sprred compen nerpreons nd
reeled n nheren enson ssoced wh pblc chrer schools srn o cree
sccessl nd nclse prorms. Whle specl edcon doces he ohlon nd hrd o he ll sdens nclded, ll nclse pblc chrer school
prorms re reqenl sbjec o sepcsm rerdn he een o whch chrer
schools m be conseln o sdens wh more sncn needs or perhps
16
National Alliance for Public Charter Schools
ImprovIng Access And creAtIng exceptIonAl opportunItIes
for students wIth dIsAbIlItIes In publIc chArter schools
-
7/27/2019 NAPCS-Improving Access and Creating Exceptional Opportunities for Students With Disabilities in Public Charter Schools
17/36
ln o prode serces. th s, whle he enerl psh s or clssrooms o be
nclse, pblc chrer school prorms h emphsze nclse prcces re
sbjec o crcsm, whch seres s dsncene o hese prorms.
as noed preosl, how pblc chrer school pproches proson o serces
s dced b s lel den. Pblc chrer schools h re pr o LEas ms
wor closel wh her LEas o deermne how o shre responsbl or eln
sdens, deelopn iEPs, nd hereer prodn serces. Pblc chrer schoolsh re her own LEas cn bld cpc nernll or hroh eernl prnershps
(see Leern Prners to Bld Specl Edcon Eperse on pe 22) wh
oher ornzons h llow hem o ccess broder rr o epers nd relze
economes o scle.
Charter Schools Designed Primarily or Entirely or Students with Disabilities
Chrer schools desned prmrl or enrel or sdens wh dened dsbles
represen smll nche o he chrer secor. a sd o specl edcon chrer
schools condced n 2007 docmened 71 schools deeloped prmrl or enrel
o sere sdens wh dsbles.29
More recenl, he gaO docmened h n 11.7percen o chrer schools nonwde, more hn 20 percen o he poplon hs
dsbl h qles hem o recee specl edcon or reled serces.30 For
emple, nmber o chrer schools re desned o sere sdens wh specc
lernn dsbles, hern mprmens, nd sm.
iDEa dces h chldren wh dsbles shold be edced n he les resrce
enronmen (LRE). Bsed on he plns deeloped b her iEP ems, mos sdens
wh dsbles spend he mjor o her d n nered clssrooms wh
peers who dsbles. Chrer schools h oer more sereed sens (.e.,
prmrl or enrel sdens wh dsbles) re rbl conrr o he consrc
o nclson nd LRE. Howeer, whle plcemens n resrce sens were
hsorcll dced b school ssems wh lmed opons o sere sdens wh
more nense needs n enerl edcon clssrooms, specl edcon-ocsed
chrer schools he enerll been deeloped b echers or prens neresed
n cren model specl edcon prorms. Moreoer, prens re permed o
selec hese prorms rerdless o he recommendon o he iEP em.
the 2007 sd o specl edcon chrer schools docmened emples o
echers srn specl edcon schools o plo specc mehodolo, prens
srn schools o epnd prorm opons or her chldren, nd esn specl
edcon serce proders cren schools s eensons o esn prorms or
sdens wh dsbles.31
Pblc schools re no permed o selec or rejec sdens bsed on wheher he
he dsbl. thereore, whle some chrer schools re desned prmrl or
enrel or sdens wh dsbles, he ms opere open enrollmen polces.
17
National Alliance for Public Charter Schools
ImprovIng Access And creAtIng exceptIonAl opportunItIes
for students wIth dIsAbIlItIes In publIc chArter schools
-
7/27/2019 NAPCS-Improving Access and Creating Exceptional Opportunities for Students With Disabilities in Public Charter Schools
18/36
the lel concerns ssoced wh opern prorms h re specc pes
o sdens bsed on dnosed dsbl, lon wh nsrconl concerns
rerdn he mers o sereed specl edcon sens, he endred snce
he bennn o he chrer secor. Neerheless, chrer schools deeloped
speccll or sdens wh dsbles conne o opere n nmber o ses,
smlneosl enern enhssm nd pprehenson on he pr o some
prens nd specl edcon doces.
Navigating Discipline Policies
Sden dscplne n pblc chrer schools s emern s sorce o conenon
he nersecon o onom nd pblc responsbl.32 Chrer proponens re
h conrol oer dscplne polces s cenrl o esblshn school clre n
lnmen wh schools msson. Opponens coner h pblc chrer schools re
sn hese polces o remoe dcl sdens, ncldn sdens wh dsbles.
Dscplnn sdens wh dsbles, or hose sspeced o hn dsbl, s
oerned b n oerrchn eor o ensre h dscplnr conseqences do no
nrne on sdens rh o FaPE. a chld wh dsbl m be sspendedrom school or p o 10 consece ds. i eher consece or ccmled
sspensons eceed 10 ds, he school s responsble or deermnn, n iEP
em meen, wheher he sspensons conse chne o plcemen or
dscplnr resons. i he cons re chne o plcemen, he school ms
condc mneson deermnon o ssess (1) he condc n qeson
ws csed b, or hd drec nd sbsnl relonshp o, he chlds dsbl or
(2) he condc n qeson ws he drec resl o he LEas lre o mplemen
he iEP. i eher s ond o be re, he school s responsble or remedn he
decences nd ensrn proson o specl edcon nd reled serces.33
Pblc chrer schools re responsble or mplemenn sden dscplne polc
h s conssen wh nd crred o n ccordnce wh he rhs o sdens wh
dsbles. i he dsrc s he LEa, he pblc chrer school ms brn sch sses
o he enon o he dsrc nd coopere n he process. i he pblc chrer
school s s own LEa, s solel responsble or rcn dscplne nd condcn
mneson deermnons or nddl sdens.
Recen reserch on chrer school dscplne polces ond h, on ere, pblc
chrer schools cll dscplne her sdens less hn rdonl pblc schools.34
Howeer, n cern eorphc reons, chrer school dscplne res re nobl
hher, hereb drwn sncn neres o horzers nd se polcmers
concerned bo he prcce.35 For nsnce, n response o hese concerns, polc
leders n mlple ces (e.., Sn Deo, Dero, nd he Recoer School Dsrcn Losn) he moed owrd norm dscplne polces or ll schools.36 in
hese dsrcs, pblc chrer schools re reqred o dop he dscplne polces
promled b he rdonl dsrc. in Newr, pblc chrer schools h see
18
National Alliance for Public Charter Schools
ImprovIng Access And creAtIng exceptIonAl opportunItIes
for students wIth dIsAbIlItIes In publIc chArter schools
-
7/27/2019 NAPCS-Improving Access and Creating Exceptional Opportunities for Students With Disabilities in Public Charter Schools
19/36
o lese dsrc cles re reqred o dop he dsrcs eplson nd sspenson
polces. Wshnon, D.C., hs en slhl deren c: the Pblc Chrer
School Bord hs oped o relese d rerdn ech schools eplson nd
sspenson res o ppl pressre nd encore schools o rele her own
polces nd procedres.37
Pblc chrer school operors ms deelop hohl nd r dscplne polces
h refec her edconl phlosoph nd bes nsrconl prcces, ncldnher commmen o ensrn h her school s redl ccessble o sdens wh
dsbles. the ol o dscplne s o ech chldren how o behe nd prode
se enronmen n whch ll sdens cn scceed bsen dsrcons. i pblc
chrer school personnel se her dscplne polc o remoe or consel o dcl
sdens, he school wll be sbjec o de process complns nd sbjec o
conseqences rom s horzer, he se, nd he u.S. Deprmen o Edcons
Oce or Cl Rhs or he Deprmen o Jsces Dson o Cl Rhs.
to ensre h dscplne polces re no ben sed b desn or del o consel
sdens o o chrer schools, les one s member ms ll ndersnd
he specc reqremens o iDEa nd how o ppl dscplne o sdens whdsbles. in ddon, chrer schools shold deelop n nenonl sre o
eecel rcle epecons nd me cern h sdens re cler rerdn
behor epecons nd conseqences nd h ll personnel re rned
rerdn he dscplne polc.
Exceptional Educational Outcomes
in he 40 ers snce Conress pssed e ses reled o edcn sdens
wh dsbles, or collece ndersndn bo nd epecons or sdens
wh dsbles dened o recee specl edcon nd reled serces
he rown remendosl. Whle doces nll oh or bsc ccess o
nehborhood schools, epecons or sdens wh dsbles he eoled o
no onl mbos ols ocsed on ll nd robs ccess o he enerl edcon
crrclm b lso he ol o prodn hh-ql edconl oppornes h
prepre sdens or prodce nd, dell, ndependen les. ESEa, n combnon
wh iDEa, renorced h bsc ccess nd procedrl de process re no loner
scenhese lws esblshed h schools lso ms me cern h chldren
wh dsbles re mn proress n chen mbos cdemc ols.38
gen pblc chrer schools ocs on onom n echne or cconbl,
chrer school operors neresed n demonsrn her cpc o edce
sdens wh dsbles need o be ble o docmen cdemc proress. ths
process cn be chllenn de o prc sses nd, or sdens wh hemos seros dsbles, de o lerne ssessmens h do no llow or es
comprsons beween sdens or schools. Neerheless, nddl schools cn
procel den e mercs n ddon o se ssessmens o demonsre
19
National Alliance for Public Charter Schools
ImprovIng Access And creAtIng exceptIonAl opportunItIes
for students wIth dIsAbIlItIes In publIc chArter schools
-
7/27/2019 NAPCS-Improving Access and Creating Exceptional Opportunities for Students With Disabilities in Public Charter Schools
20/36
her sccess wh sdens wh dsbles (see Wshnon, D.C., Pblc Chrer
School Bord Specl Edcon ads on pe 28). For nsnce, pblc chrer
schools cn more conssenl rc enrollmen nd reenon rends; proress on
iEP ols; nmber o sdens en her iEPs; nd perssence, endnce, nd
prcpon n ercrrclr ces. Whle some o hese soer mercs
shold no be seen s end ols, he do he le s proes h ndce
proress, whch oreshdows sroner cdemc ns. For nsnce, sdens who
re scceedn enerll mss less school nd prcpe n more school ceshn hose who eel soled or re rs or droppn o.39 gen he crcsms
dreced pblc chrer schools reled o nclson o sdens wh dsbles,
rcn cdemc ocomes seres s n nernl mens o ssess cpc s well
s merc o demonsre sccess.
Fiscal Equity and Inequity
Pblc chrer schools enerll recee less ndn hn rdonl pblc schools.
a 2010 sd ond h, on ere, chrer schools receed 19 percen less per
ppl compred o rdonl pblc schools. ths dspr s een reer n lrer
rbn dsrcs where, on ere, chrer schools recee 28 percen less.40
Fndn or specl edcon s rll nersl chllene or rdonl s well s
chrer schools. Prodn ll connm o serces o sdens wh wde re o
dsbles s epense. Pls, here s no cler denon or scen; here re lws
oppornes o prode ddonl serces, sppors, nd echnoloes. Sdens
wh dsbles represen, on ere, 13 percen o he pblc school poplon, b
reserch on smple o dsrcs docmened h he cos o edcn sdens wh
dsbles represens 21 percen o pblc school dsrc bdes.41 Moreoer, whle
permed b se o sppor p o 40 percen o he cos o specl edcon,
o de he ederl oernmen hs no me hs lm nd, n prcce, prodes
ppromel 12 percen o he oerll cos o specl edcon n k12h rdes.42
the scl chllenes noled wh prodn ql specl edcon nd reled
serces re ecerbed n pblc chrer schools en he neqble ndn
srcres n mn ses. to ddress hese sses, pblc chrer schools cn
lobb o chne se ndn polces. For nsnce, when Mrlnd rs doped
s se chrer school lw, locl dsrcs proded he pblc chrer schools
commensre ndn, erm h ws relel rbrr nd led o dsrcs
prodn chrer schools wh r less hn he dsrcs hemseles spen on per-
ppl bss. Pblc chrer school doces n Blmore nd Frederc lobbed or
more eqble ndn orml nd led lwss ns her locl school bords.
the pblc chrer schools eors led o more eqble ndn nd esblshedcse lw rerdn he denon o commensre n Mrlnd.43
absen polc chnes, pblc chrer schools need o be cree bo how o
leere her lmed dollrs or opml ocomes or sdens. Emples o srees
20
National Alliance for Public Charter Schools
ImprovIng Access And creAtIng exceptIonAl opportunItIes
for students wIth dIsAbIlItIes In publIc chArter schools
-
7/27/2019 NAPCS-Improving Access and Creating Exceptional Opportunities for Students With Disabilities in Public Charter Schools
21/36
o srech resorces nclde hrn echers wh dl cercon who cn ech
conen clsses s well s prode specl edcons serces or ormn collbore
prnershps wh oher pblc chrer schools or commn ornzons h
enble member schools o relze economes o scle no esble n smll schools (See
Leern Prners o Bld Specl Edcon Eperse on pe 22 nd El Dordo
Con Chrer School Specl Edcon Locl Pln are on pe 24).
BESt PRaCtiCES FOR EDuCatiNg
StuDENtS WitH DiSaBiLitiES
inddlzon s he cenerpece o specl edcon; edcors drw rom
decdes o reserch o mch specc prcces wh sdens needs.44 ye, we now
h hree oerrchn prcces cn sbsnel mproe ocomes or nerl ll
sdens wh dsbles: erl chldhood nerenons, Response o inerenon
(Ri), nd unersl Desn or Lernn (uDL).
Early Childhood Interventions
Reserch dn bc o he erl 1960s demonsres h nesmen n hh-
ql erl chldhood edcon nd nerenons cn p lre ddends.45 Erl
nerenon s prclrl lble or sdens wh dsbles or rs o ben
dened s hn dsbl. Erl nerenon or chldren wh dsbles ncldes
reed serces nd sppor or nns, oddlers, nd preschool-ed chldren.
Eece erl nerenon serces cn dmnsh he mpc o he dsbl or del
nd redce lon-erm edcon coss b redcn he need or specl edcon nd
reled serces or school-ed sdens.46 Proson o hh-ql erl chldhood
serces cn enble sdens o ener nderren on rde leel nd decresespecl edcon reerrl res.47 Oer he ps decde, ses he mde sncn
nesmens n epndn ccess o pblcl nded prenderren prorms.
Edence h hh-ql prenderren redces ler specl edcon plcemen
nd coss s mjor pr o he ronle or hese nesmens. 48
Response to Intervention (RtI)
Ri s n nsrconl nd monorn pproch desned o prode reed
sppors; proress monorn; nd ncresnl nense, edence-bsed
nerenons or srln sdens.49 in conrs o hsorcl pproches o
nerenon, wheren schools wold w or sdens o l nd be reerred ospecl edcon beore prodn ocsed sppors, schools se n Ri sre
o prode sppor s soon s sdens ben o srle, n he hope h hese
21
National Alliance for Public Charter Schools
ImprovIng Access And creAtIng exceptIonAl opportunItIes
for students wIth dIsAbIlItIes In publIc chArter schools
-
7/27/2019 NAPCS-Improving Access and Creating Exceptional Opportunities for Students With Disabilities in Public Charter Schools
22/36
lEvERAgIng pARTnERS TO buIlD SpEcIAl EDucATIOn ExpERTISE:SEnEcA FAmIlY OF AgEncIES
in 2010, bsed on rown nd pressn need o bld her cpc o edce sdens wh dsbles,
cohor o pblc chrer schools n Clorn conrced wh he nonpro Senec Fml o aences o sere s
comprehense proder or specl edcon nd reled serces. Senec s n esblshed proder o commn-
nd ml-bsed serces or emoonll robled chldren nd her mles n he Sn Frncsco re. the schools
se her ederl nd se specl edcon nds o sppor he conrc, nd Senec helps hem ccess ddonl
nds (e.., Clorn Medcd nd nds lble or menl helh serces).
in close collboron wh he El Dordo Con Specl Edcon Locl Pln are (SELPa), Clorns nermede
enc h prodes specl edcons sppors o dsrcs, Senec prodes he 11 pblc chrer schools
comprehense se o serces ocsed on preenon, proress monorn, nd erl nerenon h enble he
chrer schools o mee sdens needs. the prode n ddonl 16 pblc chrer schools wh lmed serces.
the prnershp lns wh Senecs lon-erm msson o spporn ll sdens bsed on her cdemc needs
nd decresn he nmber o sdens reqrn nense or sereed specl edcon plcemens. Leern
eperse deeloped drn more hn 25 ers o operon nd n eense proessonl newor o more hn
1,000 serce proders, Senec s members worn wh he prnershp re commed o n mbos ol:
Leere ederl, se, nd con resorces ren boh specl edcon nd menl helh serces o deelop
eemplr serces or sdens n pblc chrer schools.
the ondon o Senecs pproch o edcn sdens wh dsbles s nel honed, ered Response
o inerenon (Ri) model ocsed on prodn ncresnl reed nerenons o sdens n her enerl
edcon clssrooms. Senec wors closel wh prner chrer schools o den sdens needs nd mch hem
wh s eperse s well s opmze resorces. the process ncldes spporn ql nsrcon, relr proress
monorn, nd ocsed nerenon srees desned o sere sdens beore he enconer problems. Lh
Rosenhl, he dson drecor rom he Senec Cener, eplned h she sres o help schools o mplemen
her own mlered Response o inerenon pproch. i we cn help hem bld re [erl nerenon
prorm (.e., ter 1)], he cn redce her oerll coss becse n once o preenon s worh pond o cre.
From slhl deren perspece, Rosenhl noed h when srn o edce sdens who lern derenl,
o he o nes n enerl edcon o redce specl edcon.
Reconzn h pblc chrer schools he lmed resorces, Senec s members connll serch or wh
he reer o s wo-ers. For nsnce, when sden wh dsbl reqres one-on-one de, he hre
specl edcon de who s ble o sppor he sden andrn he enerl edcon echer. the sden
recees he sppors reqred, nd he end o he er, he enerl edcon echer hs epnded hs or her sll
se nd s beer prepred o sppor oher sdens n n nclse enronmen. in one school, Senec sssed he
school leder n lln den o sdens cnc wh cered socl worer, hereb prodn he school wh
ccess o crcl sllse no pcll chrcersc o hs poson.
Personnel rom Senec ce redced reerrls o specl edcon, robs Ri prorms, ql specl edcon serces,
nd opml se o specl edcon resorces b prner schools s ndcors o her le dd o he schools. a
crell seleced s s crcl o her Senecs sccess. Rosenhl refeced h Senecs pproch nd prorms
sere s cls or her recrmen eors: the he ccess o derse rr o hhl slled proessonls seleced
becse o Senecs commmen o drn chne nd mpron serces or sdens wh dsbles.
Source: Personal communication with Lihi Rosenthal, Seneca Center (April 29, 2013); Seneca Center, www.senecacenter.org/home.
22
National Alliance for Public Charter Schools
ImprovIng Access And creAtIng exceptIonAl opportunItIes
for students wIth dIsAbIlItIes In publIc chArter schools
-
7/27/2019 NAPCS-Improving Access and Creating Exceptional Opportunities for Students With Disabilities in Public Charter Schools
23/36
nerenons wll enble sdens o cch p o her peers. Schools deelop dsnc
pproches o Ri, b n enerl, he pproch enls:
n nsrcn ll sdens sn hh-ql, scencll bsed pedo;
n screenn ll sdens n he nrl clssroom cone o docmen her proress;
n monorn sden proress connosl;
n mplemenn reserch-bsed nerenons n ered leels dependn on need; nd
n prodn proessonl deelopmen o me cern echers re sn
nerenons pproprel n conssenl.50
Sdens who conne o srle er recen conssen nd hh-ql
nddlzed nsrcon re reerred or orml specl edcon elon.51
Ri blds on decdes o reserch bo he le o erl nerenons nd
srcred proress monorn. use o Ri srees hs spred snce he 2004 iDEa
rehorzon, whch llowed ses nd school dsrcs o spend p o 15 percen
o her iDEa nds o sppor ocsed nerenon eors beore sdens re
reerred or specl edcon.52 the pproch s creded wh redcn he nmbero sdens dened wh specc lernn dsbles.53
Universal Design or Learning (UDL)
Specl edcon nd reled serces he been seen hsorcll s er or
sepre rom enerl edcon. Rher hn reron or ddn o he enerl
edcon crrclm o ccommode sdens wh dsbles, uDL represens
se o prncples h de crrclm deelopmen nd reled clssroom prcce
bsed on esblshn eql ccess or eerone s cenrl componen o desn,
no posscrp.54 Edcors do no he o elmne brrers h mh nhb
lernn he od hem rom ncepon.
Drwn rom neroscence rerdn lernn nd conon nd sn uDL
pproch, crrclm creors ncorpore mlple mehods o presenon, opons
or enemen, nd mens or con nd epresson.55 ths pproch s n conrs
o rdonl erson n whch echers presen conen n one-dmensonl
shon (e.., echer lecre) ollowed b sden demonsron o nowlede
wren ssessmens. a snle nsrconl sre m wor or some sdens
wh specc processn slls, b hose lcn he slls he lmed opons o
lern he conen. usn mlple mens o presenon ensres h conen s
esl ccessble or sdens wh re o lernn sles. ths pproch benes
sdens wh nd who dsbles. Conen deeloped sn he prncpleso uDL s redl ccessble o ll sdens s pr o he deelopmen process, s
opposed o ben dped or specc olers or ecepons.56
23
National Alliance for Public Charter Schools
ImprovIng Access And creAtIng exceptIonAl opportunItIes
for students wIth dIsAbIlItIes In publIc chArter schools
-
7/27/2019 NAPCS-Improving Access and Creating Exceptional Opportunities for Students With Disabilities in Public Charter Schools
24/36
El DORADO cOunTY chARTER SchOOl SpEcIAl EDucATIOn lOcAl plAnAREA: lEvERAgIng pOlIcY AnD pARTnERShIpS TO buIlD cApAcITY
under Clorn se edcon code, he Specl Edcon Locl Plnnn are (SELPa) s he nermedr
responsble or dsrbn ederl nd se specl edcon nds nd prodn rne o specl edcon
proessonl deelopmen nd serces o boh rdonl dsrc LEas nd chrer LEas. Crrenl, 124 SELPas
opere n Clorn; some sere snle lre LEa, whle ohers sere ll o he LEas n dened reon. all LEas re
reqred o be members o SELPa, whch s oerned b bord comprsed o represenes o he member LEas
s well s prens nd serce proders. Pblc chrer schools cn elec whch SELPa he wold le o jon.
When pblc chrer schools rs opened, red ccess o SELPas ws brrer o schools opern s onomos LEas.
Whle n some nsnces here ws reporedl hosl owrd pblc chrer schools, n ohers he ressnce semmed rom
concerns bo how o snle-school chrer LEas, lon wh mch lrer dsrcs, no SELPa oernnce srcre h
prorzes eql represenon. in 2007, n response o ncresn rsron bo he SELPa reqremen, he Se Bord
pproed he creon o plo pblc chrer school SELPa whn he esn El Dordo Con SELPa. the docc on
he pr o e seholders nd he sbseqen prnershps creed re promsn emple o cree problem-soln
h leds o pblc chrer schools rown her cpc o prode hh-ql specl edcon prorms.
the El Dordo Con SELPa olneered o cree he pblc chrer school SELPa or he prpose o opmzn
he econom o scle or serces nd elmnn nnecessr redndnc. B jonn oeher nd lzn
echnolocl commncon srees, een wh wde eorphc dsrbon he chrer SELPa cn cheeecenc nd mmze he lzon o lmed resorces.57 SELPa personnel ssn eer member school e
conc n he SELPa nd emplo prorm speclss responsble or mlple chrer schools.
the SELPa prodes s members proessonl deelopmen, lel sppor, prner/proder newor, scl nd
prormmc complnce sppor, nd d mnemen ssem o rc re o specl edcon mercs. usn he
SELPa mbrell o prchse speclzed prorms nd serces, he members re ble o ccess n rr o serces nd relze
economes o scle no esble or nddl schools. in 201213, he El Dordo Con Chrer SELPa sered 171 nddl
pblc chrer school members cross he se. to ddress he eorphc chllenes noled wh sern eorphcll
dspersed schools, SELPa personnel reled o schools nd leered echnolo o commnce nd prode rnn.
the SELPa chres ech school n dmnsre ee represenn percene o s ederl nd se specl
edcon reene: 6 percen n er one, 5 percen n er wo, nd 4 percen n er hree nd hereer, once
he school hs demonsred cpc. the ee srcre eoled drn he plo phse s he nl SELPa ledershp
em relzed h pblc chrer schools needs chne oer me s he bld her nernl cpc reled oedcn sdens wh dsbles. the SELPa s oerned b member schools h cn op o he re no
ssed wh he serces. Conersel, he SELPa oernn bord cn lso ermne membershp members do no
mee her responsbles o pproprel enroll nd sere sdens wh dsbles. Emploees do no sere on he
oernnce bord, whch nslls ler o cconbl n he oernnce srcre.
in 201213, on ere, sdens wh dsbles represened 8.6 percen o he poplon o he member pblc
chrer schools. Whle he se ere s 12 percen, hs ere ncldes sdens n preschool prorms, whch
enroll dsproporone nmber o sdens wh dsbles refecn dsrcs Chld Fnd reqremens. SELPa
personnel rc enrollmen d, nd he dscern h chrer school s enrolln oo ew sdens wh dsbles,
he oer sppor o deelop s cpc reled o recrn nd renn sdens wh dsbles more nenonll.
Bsed on he sccess o he plo, n 2010 he se pproed he connnce o he El Dordo Con Chrer SELPa,
ledn o he creon o wo ddonl chrer SELPas. Whle SELPas re nqe o Clorn, he bsc srcre o he
rrnemen echoes he coopere models deeloped n oher ses nd seres s promsn emple or chrerschools neresed n cren srec prnershps o ccelere nd epnd her specl edcon cpc.
For more inormation about the El Dorado Country Charter SELPA and a detailed description o the resource allocation plan,see www.edcoe.org/charterselpa/nances/allocation-plan.
24
National Alliance for Public Charter Schools
ImprovIng Access And creAtIng exceptIonAl opportunItIes
for students wIth dIsAbIlItIes In publIc chArter schools
-
7/27/2019 NAPCS-Improving Access and Creating Exceptional Opportunities for Students With Disabilities in Public Charter Schools
25/36
aCCOuNtaBiLity FOR iMPLEMENtatiON
acconbl s cenrl o he pblc chrer school brn. as schools o choce,
prens cn hold chrer schools cconble or perormnce b enrolln n or
en he school. in ddon, horzers re chred wh holdn pblc chrer
schools cconble or llln he responsbles nd perormnce mesres
olned n her chrer conrcs. Ensrn h pblc chrer schools re open ond prode ql edconl oppornes or ll sdens s core pr o chrer
school horzers responsbles.
in ddon, pblc chrer schools re sbjec o he sme cconbl
reqremens s rdonl pblc schools. the ms dmnser nnl ssessmens
nd rc cdemc proress. Moreoer, he re sbjec o perodc complnce
monorn b her respece SEas nder iDEa. asde rom ssemc cconbl
mechnsms dced b he No Chld Le Behnd ac o 2001 nd iDEa, pblc
chrer schools re held cconble nder se chrer ses h prode
he schools hor o opere nder renewble chrers or conrcs. the re
lso held cconble b prens who choose he school. Prens o chldren whdsbles cn le de process complns he school does no phold he polces
nd procedres olned n iDEa nd reled se specl edcon ses.
ye, o de, neher chrer horzers nor SEas, when he re no he horzers,
he ll leered he cconbl ools n her oolbo o rc nd hold pblc
chrer schools cconble or specl edcon. absen n nenonl eor o
sel-rele, he secor oerll s lnerble o poenll he-hnded monorn.
Loon orwrd, pblc chrer school operors, horzers, nd sppor
ornzons wold be well sered b more nenonl sel-monorn rerdn
specl edcon (see Wshnon, D.C., Pblc Chrer School Bord Specl
Edcon ads on pe 28).
Legal Challenges Related to Educating Studentswith Disabilities in Public Charter Schools
Concerns bo eql ccess nd proson o serces o sdens wh dsbles
n pblc chrer schools he enered lel cons h sere s n erl wrnn
o chrer operors, newor leders, nd sppor ornzons rerdn he
poenl lel conseqences ssoced wh cl or perceed noncomplnce.
these complns rne rom nddl de process herns ssoced wh specc
lleons o iDEa olons b nddl schools o ederl cor clss-con s
nd cl rhs compln led wh he u.S. Deprmen o Jsce. the cses n
Losn nd Wshnon, D.C.he wo dsrcs wh he lres pblc chrer
school secors n he conrre noeworh n pr, becse he m sere s
erl ndcors o problems h m rse when chrers mre shre reches
ppn pon.58
25
National Alliance for Public Charter Schools
ImprovIng Access And creAtIng exceptIonAl opportunItIes
for students wIth dIsAbIlItIes In publIc chArter schools
-
7/27/2019 NAPCS-Improving Access and Creating Exceptional Opportunities for Students With Disabilities in Public Charter Schools
26/36
New Orleans, LA.
in 2010, the Sohern Poer Lw Cener, represenn colon o prens o
sdens wh dsbles nd docc rops, led ederl clss-con lws, P.B.
v. Pastorek, on behl o sdens n Orlens Prsh ns he se spernenden
o edcon nd he se school bord. the clss hs e o be cered b he
cors, b he lws llees olons o sdens rhs nder he ederl
inddls wh Dsbles Edcon ac, Secon 504 o he Rehblon ac,nd he amercns wh Dsbles ac b 30 deren schools opern nder he
Recoer School Dsrc (RSD),59 ncldn chrer nd rdonl pblc schools. the
core lleon o he lws s h he schools n he RSD dscrmned ns
sdens wh dsbles b orbddn hem o enroll, nelecn o prode proper
sppor serces, nd en hem rom he schools. the compln docmens ps
n enrollmen (.e., whle 12.6 percen o he ol sden poplon n nonchrer
pblc schools n New Orlens s elble or specl edcon, hese sdens
represen onl 7.8 percen o he poplon n pblc chrer schools). the plns
re ln ns he se spernenden nd he se bord becse he re
he enes lell responsble or he schools opered b he RSD. Whle cn
specc nrcons, he ederl clss-con lws llees enerl lc o oersh,monorn, nd sperson.60
the cse s noeworh de o he lre nmber o sdens represened nd he
ocs on holdn he se, s opposed o he nddl schools, cconble s he
horzer or complnce wh ederl dsbl nd cl rhs ses. the cse s
onon hs me.
Washington, D.C.
in 2011, he Bzelon Cener or Menl Helh Lw led compln wh he u.S.
Deprmen o Jsces Cl Rhs Dson ns he Dsrc o Colmb llen
enrollmen dscrmnon b pblc chrer schools.61 Drn he 201011 cdemcer, 10 percen o he nerl 30,000 sdens enrolled n D.C. pblc chrer
schools were dened s hn dsbl, wheres he proporon n rdonl
pblc schools ws 13 percen.62 O prclr noe n he compln ws he ndn
h relel smll percene o sdens wh more sncn dsbles were
enrolled n pblc chrer schools. the Bzelon Cener docmened h chrer
schools enrolled one-hrd s mn sdens wh more sncn emoonl nd
phscl needs s rdonl pblc schools n he dsrc. Frhermore, 75 percen
o hese sdens enrolled n hree pblc chrer schools speccll desned or
sdens wh dsbles.63 the compln llees mlple specc emples o
sdens ben dened dmsson or epelled or sses reled o her nddl
dsbles nd llees, chrer schools ronel nore dnce ssed b Dsrc
oersh ences on nclse dmssons prcces nd he neron o
sdens wh dsbles.64 a cenrl spec o he compln s dmsson prcces
dened s ben dscrmnor (e.., sn prens o dsclose wheher her chld
26
National Alliance for Public Charter Schools
ImprovIng Access And creAtIng exceptIonAl opportunItIes
for students wIth dIsAbIlItIes In publIc chArter schools
-
7/27/2019 NAPCS-Improving Access and Creating Exceptional Opportunities for Students With Disabilities in Public Charter Schools
27/36
hs dsbl drn he pplcon process nd sn hs normon o screen
sdens). the compln s sncn becse here re 53 chrer schools n D.C.
nd he collecel enroll more hn 40 percen o he sdens endn pblc
schools n he Dsrc.65 as he percene o sdens rses, nd n prclr when
he chrer school mre reches ppn pon, enrollmen rends become more
ppren, nd pblc chrer schools wll mos lel ce reer scrn he re
perceed s odn enrolln or renn sdens wh more sncn needs.
the Deprmen o Jsces neson s onon hs me.
RECOMMENDatiONS
in lne wh her commmen o cren eceponl pblc schools, chrer school
operors nd he ornzons h sppor hem ms ensre h schools re
no onl ccessble, b lso rce o nd sccessl n meen he needs o
sden wh dsbles. Whle some sdens reqre more nense sppors, he
s mjor o sdens wh dsbles cn be sccessl n enerl edcon
clssrooms wh derened nsrcon nd sppors. to de, he chrer secorhs no eecel leered s onom o cree oppornes or sdens who
lern derenl.
Eors o chne he dnmcs ms ocs on cren ql prorms h rc
derse rr o sdens nd holdn chrer schools h ll shor, b desn or
del, o welcomn nd spporn sdens wh dsbles cconble. Bsed
on lel cons n New Orlens nd Wshnon, D.C., nd necdoes rom oher
ces where ccess nd serce proson n pblc chrer schools re ncresnl
nder mcroscope, chrer schools h l o chr n nenonl corse reled o
sdens wh dsbles m be sbjec o cmbersome relor brdens dnced
b opponens. Howeer, pblc chrer schools do no need o w nl reqred odop derse polc (e.., enrollmen res nd brdensome monorn nd
ds) o mproe her pproch o edcn sdens wh dsbles.
the ollown cons cn help operors nd sppor ornzons procel
ensre h her schools no onl welcome b lso cree eceponl oppornes
or ll sdens, ncldn sden wh dsbles.
1. Advocate To Address Policy Barriers
Pblc chrer schools ce brrers semmn rom dosncrc se chrer
ses, polces, nd rdonl dsrc prcces (e.., neqble ndn, ncler
deleon o responsbl nd hor, nd lmed ccess o crcl specl
edcon nrsrcres). Rher hn pssel ccep hese brrers, chrer
operors nd sppor ornzons cn orm colons nd moblze prens o
doce or polc chnes n he bes neress o sdens wh dsbles.
27
National Alliance for Public Charter Schools
ImprovIng Access And creAtIng exceptIonAl opportunItIes
for students wIth dIsAbIlItIes In publIc chArter schools
-
7/27/2019 NAPCS-Improving Access and Creating Exceptional Opportunities for Students With Disabilities in Public Charter Schools
28/36
DISTRIcT OF cOlumbIA publIc chARTER SchOOl bOARDSpEcIAl EDucATIOn AuDITS
in response o pressre reled o ccess nd ql serce proson, he Wshnon, D.C., Pblc Chrer School
Bord (PCSB) recenl oo sep orwrd o rc nd ddress concerns reled o enrollmen, specl edcon nd
reled serces, nd ocomes. in Mrch 2013, he PCSB doped new polc h denes nd rcs mlple
mesres o specl edcon, whch cold rer more n-deph d o schools pproch o sern sdens
wh dsbles. Poenll model or oher horzers or SEas, he process s desned o sere s n erl wrnn
ssem so he horzer cn procel den nd ddress sses reled o ccess nd ql o serces. the
polc does no olne specc conseqence ssoced wh d ndns. Rher, he resl o problemc d
wold be reer scrn b he PCSB. underln he polc s relble d ssem h llows he PCSB nd he
Oce o he Se Spernenden o Edcon (OSSE), he SEa n Wshnon, D.C., o redl monor e mercs
reled o specl edcon enrollmen nd serces.
the DC Chrer School Lw reqres he horzer o monor school proress. as olned n he new PCSB polc,
he ollown cors m rer more n-deph specl edcon d:
n sdens wh dsbles represen 7 percen or less o school poplon;
n sdens wh dsbles eplson or o-o-school sspenson res re hher hn peers who iEPs;
n dsproporone enrollmen o snle dsbl clsscon (e.., specc lernn dsbl, emoonl
dsrbnce, ec.), or nderrepresenon o sdens who reqre more sncn sppors;n rnser b sdens wh dsbles s hher hn rnsers b her nondsbled peers;
n sdens wh dsbles re o md-er whdrwls s hher hn he whdrwl re o her nondsbled
peers; or
n docmenon sbmed o OSSE does no compl wh he lw.
i monhl reews o d b he PCSB, whch re pr o he chrer d reporn ssem, reel concerns reled o
n o he boe cors, he horzer wll condc more n-deph reew, poenll ncldn b no lmed o:
n comprson o ccrc o specl edcon d beween schools sden normon ssem nd d n
Proace (OSSEs d mnemen ssem);
n commncon beween PCSB nd OSSE o deermne wheher he dened rer hs resled n OSSE
resoln he concern;
n nerews wh schools specl edcon d mner or oher persons responsble or sden d;
n specl edcon Des ads (.e., reews o relen docmens o ele complnce wh iDEa procedres)
compleed b PCSB s;
n reqes o he school em o complee Specl Edcon Ql assrnce
n Reew (pr o Specl Edcon Perormnce Mnemen tool); or
n specl edcon se ss nd/or obserons.
Source: D.C. Public Charter School Board, Special education audit policy. (Washington, D.C.: 2013); March 18, 2013 Board Meeting
Minutes. Downloaded April 25, 2013, rom www.dcpubliccharter.com/agenda/?id=135.
28
National Alliance for Public Charter Schools
ImprovIng Access And creAtIng exceptIonAl opportunItIes
for students wIth dIsAbIlItIes In publIc chArter schools
-
7/27/2019 NAPCS-Improving Access and Creating Exceptional Opportunities for Students With Disabilities in Public Charter Schools
29/36
2. Adopt Key Instructional Strategies To Support All Students
Bes prcces sch s preschool; unersl Desn or Lernn; nd robs Ri
prorms h he lser shrp ocs on erl lerc, ql nsrcon, reed
nerenons, nd proress monorn bene ll sdens, prclrl sdens
wh dsbles wh derse lernn needs.
3. Identiy Strategic Partnerships and CoalitionsMn pblc chrer schools re smll, he lmed bdes, nd lc e
nsonl rones nd srcres. Whle hese condons re chllenn,
he cree n enronmen h s rpe or enreprenerl nnoon. Srec
prnershps wh oher pblc chrer schools, esn commn ornzons
(e.., menl helh proders), nd een rdonl pblc schools cn bld nd
eend chrer schools cpc reled o specl edcon.
4. Hire Intentionally and Well
De prmrl o smll school sze, mn pblc chrer school emploees need o
be ble o wer mlple hs. Conseqenl, he le o nddl emploees smpledpblc chrer schools ms hre eceednl well. idell, chrer schools
cn hre personnel who re wo-ers66 n h he cn ll mlple roles. Hrn
nenonll reqres cler ndersndn o how prclr poson s whn
he broder school pzzle. i lso m reqre ben cree bo job descrpons
o ll leere nddl echers nd dmnsrors nqe slls. For nsnce,
lhoh specl edcor who hs h sccessll n rdonl pblc
school m he brod nd deep nowlede, h sme echer m be ll sed o
cle deelopmen o n nnoe pproch o specl edcon he or she
s no open o nqe oernnce srcre or msson. Prodn derened
sppors o sdens wh derse lernn needs pos on hrn slled emploees
who no onl ndersnd specl edcon lw, b lso, more mporn,
ndersnd how o ccommode nddl sdens needs.
5. Track, Analyze, and Report Data
Mch o he dloe rerdn specl edcon n he chrer secor s dren b
necdoes nd olers. D re essenl o resoned conerson rerdn he
ss o sdens wh dsbles n he secor. in prclr, more d re reqred
rerdn enrollmen, serce proson, reenon, dscplne rends, ndn,
rnsons, nd cdemc ocomes. iDEa reqres eense d collecon, b
reserch ndces h neher ses nor horzers re nlzn or reporn hese
d. Pblc chrer school operors nd sppor rops cn preemp poenllcmbersome demnds rom opponens b procel collecn nd reporn d
rerdn specl edcon.
29
National Alliance for Public Charter Schools
ImprovIng Access And creAtIng exceptIonAl opportunItIes
for students wIth dIsAbIlItIes In publIc chArter schools
-
7/27/2019 NAPCS-Improving Access and Creating Exceptional Opportunities for Students With Disabilities in Public Charter Schools
30/36
6. Own and Address Shortcomings
to de, enoh pblc chrer schools he llen shor n enrolln nd eecel
sern sdens wh dsbles h cnowledn nd ddressn hese
shorcomns s mporn o chne he dloe bo specl edcon n he
secor. in prclr, pblc chrer schools h he srled o rc nd ren
sdens need o ene qled personnel, prens, nd locl specl edcon
doces o enhnce her prorms nd mproe her repons n he specledcon commn. in commnes where chrer schools re new, he schools
m srle o nsll condence n prens o sdens wh dsbles, whch cn
be brrer o prens een consdern pblc chrer school s ble opon
or her chldren. Pblc chrer schools need o own nd ddress hese percepons,
nd n some cses, rel shorcomns, o rc sdens.
CONCLuSiONS
Polces nd procedres oernn edcn sdens wh dsbles re reqenlchrcerzed s prme emple o he brecrc h bnds rdonl pblc
schools, nd n mn ws, hs percepon s ccre. Pblc chrer schools, on
he oher hnd, he he opporn o rehn specl edcon nd leere her
onom o deelop nnoe nd sccessl prorms. a cler ndersndn
o he reqremens o iDEa nd lber rom dsrc sndrd opern procedres
re wo crcl condons or eece nnoon n specl edcon. gen he
rown scrn o specl edcon n pblc chrer schools, operors, newors,
nd sppor ornzons ms nes n deelopn n nenonl sre reled o
specl edcon, s opposed o opern rece prorm h mrrors rdonl
pblc schools. Specl edcon s ronded n commmen o proecn he cl
rhs o sdens who hsorcll he been mrnlzed n pblc schools. Ensrnh sdens wh dsbles re ble o enjo he onom h hs osered he
creon o eemplr schools cold be he secors ne noble ccomplshmen.
30
National Alliance for Public Charter Schools
ImprovIng Access And creAtIng exceptIonAl opportunItIes
for students wIth dIsAbIlItIes In publIc chArter schools
-
7/27/2019 NAPCS-Improving Access and Creating Exceptional Opportunities for Students With Disabilities in Public Charter Schools
31/36
RESOuRCES
Center for Applied Special Technology (CAST)s nonl reserch nd
deelopmen ornzon deoed o epndn lernn oppornes or ll
hroh promoon o unersl Desn or Lernn prncples. www.cast.org
National Alliance for Public Charter Schools (The National Alliance)s heledn nonl nonpro ornzon commed o dncn he chrer
school moemen. is msson s o led pblc edcon o nprecedened leels
o cdemc cheemen or ll sdens b osern sron chrer secor.the
Nonl allnce prodes sssnce o se chrer school ssocons nd
resorce ceners, deelops nd doces or mproed pblc polces, nd seres s
he ned oce or hs lre nd derse moemen. www.publiccharters.org
National Association of Charter School Authorizers (NACSA)msson s o
chee he esblshmen nd operon o ql chrer schools hroh
responsble oersh n he pblc neres. in 2012, NaCSa lnched he One
Mllons Les cmpn dedced o prodn 1 mllon more chldren he chnce
o end re school h wll se hem p or sccess hroho her les. acenrl pror o he cmpn s rn he chrer commn sel o he
lns n he secor so h more chldren he chnce o end re school.
www.qualitycharters.org
National Association of State Directors of Special Education (NASDSE)oers
srees nd ools o oser mplemenon o bes prcces hroh commnes
o prcce; rnn on crren sses; echncl sssnce; polc nlss; reserch;
nonl nes; nd prnershps o enhnce problem soln he locl, se,
nd nonl leels. www.nasdse.org
National Center on Learning Disabilities (NCLD) doces or sdens wh derse rne o lernn dsbles hroh deep commmen o mpron
he les o people wh lernn dcles nd dsbl b empowern prens,
enbln on dls, rnsormn schools, nd cren polc nd docc
mpc. www.NCLD.org
National Center on Response to Intervention (NCRI)prodesechncl sssnce
o ses nd dsrcs o bld he cpc o ses o sss dsrcs n mplemenn
proen models or Response o inerenon nd Erl inerenn Serces (EiS).
www.rti4succees.org
31
National Alliance for Public Charter Schools
ImprovIng Access And creAtIng exceptIonAl opportunItIes
for students wIth dIsAbIlItIes In publIc chArter schools
-
7/27/2019 NAPCS-Improving Access and Creating Exceptional Opportunities for Students With Disabilities in Public Charter Schools
32/36
National Center for Special Education in Charter Schools(NCSECS)s commed
o ensrn eql ccess nd eceponl oppornes or ll sdens n chrer
schools. NCSECS s nonpro deoed o docn or sdens wh derse
lernn needs o ensre h, he re neresed n endn chrer schools,
he re ble o ccess nd hre n schools desned o enble ll sdens o ecel.
www.ncsecs.org
TheNational Charter School Resource Center (NCSRC)seres s nonl cenero () prode on-demnd resorces, normon, nd echncl sssnce o
sppor he sccessl plnnn, horzn, mplemenon, nd ssnbl o
hh-ql chrer schools; (b) shre elons on he eecs o chrer schools;
nd (c) dssemne normon bo sccessl prcces n chrer schools.
www.charterschoolcenter.org
aBOut tHE autHORS
Lauren Morando Rhim, Ph.D., executive director and co-founder of the NationalCenter for Special Education in Charter Schools,consls wh se deprmens
o edcon, school dsrcs, nd nonpros commed o cren hh-ql
pblc schools or ll sdens. a sncn poron o her reserch nd consln
wor or he ps 20 ers hs been deoed o emnn nd spporn sdens
wh dsbles ccess o nd sccess n pblc chrer schools.She dreced Projec
inersec, or-er, ederll nded reserch sd o specl edcon n he
chrer secor, nd ws member o em noled wh hree oher reled ederll
nded projecs: Projec SEaRCH, SPEDtaCS, nd ta Csomzer. Dr. Rhm hs
proded echncl sssnce o se polc leders, chrer school horzers, nd
chrer operors rerdn specl edcon n he chrer school secor, nd she
hs pblshed eensel on he opc. She holds her docore rom he uners oMrlnd, Collee Pr n Socl Fondons o Edcon Polc nd Ledershp.
Paul T. ONeill, J.D., Ed.M., senior fellow and co-founder of the National
Center for Special Education in Charter Schools, s n edcon orne, dser,
proessor, nd hor wh eense eperence n dn edcon ornzons
hroh chllenes nd rowh. as onder nd presden o tbo Edcon
Serces nd s he hed o he Edcon Lw Prcce grop o Cohen Schneder
& ONell LLP n New yor, he dses schools, chrer school horzers, newors,
nonpros, oernmen ences, nd phlnhropes on he rles nd complees
h ppl o edconl ornzons. a sbsnl poron o hs wor s deoed
o he nersecon o specl edcon nd chrer schools. He lso seres on hedjnc cl o techers Collee, Colmb uners where he eches corses
on edcon polc nd lw, ncldn Desnn Chrer Schools nd Specl
Edcon Lw nd Polc.
32
National Alliance for Public Charter Schools
ImprovIng Access And creAtIng exceptIonAl opportunItIes
for students wIth dIsAbIlItIes In publIc chArter schools
-
7/27/2019 NAPCS-Improving Access and Creating Exceptional Opportunities for Students With Disabilities in Public Charter Schools
33/36
ENDNOtES
1 Chldren wh dsbles re dened s hn one o
13 ceores o dsbles (.e., specc lernn dsbles,
speech or lne mprmens, menl rerdon, emoonl
dsrbnce, oher helh mprmens, mlple dsbles,hern mprmens, orhopedc mprmens, sl
mprmens, sm, de-blndness, rmc brn njr, nd
deelopmenl del). Sdens re lso more loosel ceorzeds hn hh-ncdence dsbl (e.., common pe
o dsbl, sch s specc lernn or speech/lne
dsbl) or low-ncdence dsbl (e.., n ncommondsbl, sch s rmc brn njr, sm, or orhopedc
mprmen). the hh-ncdence rop ncldes ppromel
90 percen o ll chldren wh dsbles. u.S. Deprmen oEdcon Nonl Cener or Edcon Sscs, Digest oEducation Statistics,2011 (NCES 2012-001) Chper 2 (2012).
accessed aprl 15, 2013, rom hp://nces.ed.o/scs/dspl.
sp?d=64.
2 u.S. Deprmen o Edcon, Nonl Cener or Edcon
Sscs, The condition o education: Children and youth with
disabilities(NCES 2012-indcor 9) (2012). accessed aprl 15,2013, rom hp://nces.ed.o/prorms/coe/ndcor_cwd.sp.
3 Rchel Qenemoen, Sdens Wh Dsbles:
Epecons, acdemc acheemen, nd he Crcl Role o
inclse Sndrds-Bsed assessmens n impron Ocomes,n Meaningul Measurement: The Role o Assessments in ImprovingHigh School Education in the 21st Century, ed. Lnds Pns
(2009). accessed December 12, 2011, rom www.ll4ed.or/pblcon_merl/repors/mennlmesremen. Bsed on
n nlses o he cdemc perormnce nd cone esn
cpred n more hn 1,000 les o sdens wh dsblesdrwn rom 10 school dsrcs, Elzbeh gonne nd Nnc
Oplc projec h beween 65 nd 70 percen o ll sdens
wh dnosed dsbles cn chee procenc or boe
on se ssessmens. Personl commncon wh Elzbehgonne, Edconl Sppor Ssems, aprl 28, 2013.
4 See, or emple, he Nonl assocon o Chrer Schoolahorzers One Mllon Les cmpn, whch ocses onspporn sron chrer schools nd closn neece schools,
www.qlchrers.or/one-mllon-les.
5 Brown v. Board o Education, 347 u.S. 483 (1954).
6 No Chld Le Behnd ac (NCLB), www.ed.o/nclb.
7 Secon 504 o he Rehblon ac o 1973, www.hhs.o/ocr/504.hml.
the u.S. Deprmen o Edcon docmen Frequently Asked
Questions about Section 504 and the Education o Children
with Disabilitiess lble www.ed.o/bo/oces/ls/ocr/504q.hml?ep=0.
8 the ADA Standards or Accessible Design2010 s lble
rom he u.S. Deprmen o Jsce Cl Rhs Dson www.d.o/2010aDasndrds_nde.hm.
9 inddls wh Dsbles Edcon ac (iDEa),
hp://de.ed.o.
10 Edcon or all Hndcpped Chldren ac o 1975, Pb. L.No. 94142, 89 S. 773.
11 For more normon bo e cses, see Yell, Rogers, &
Rogers(1998) or www.wrhslw.com.
12 M. a. Wnzer, From integration to inclusion. A history
o special education in the 20th century. (Wshnon, D.C.:
gllde uners Press, 2009).
13 Ses re no permed o we ederl lws, so iDEa
reqremens ppl n ll chrern ses.
14 Msschses Deprmen o Elemenr nd Secondr
Edcon, Massachusetts primer on special education and charter
schools:Section III: Inormation or charter school operators.
(Febrr 2009) 20. accessed Jl 26, 2013, rom www.doe.mss.ed/chrer/sped/del.hml.
15 Msschses Edcon Code (Pr i, tle vii, Chper 40,
Secon 4E) (M 2012). accessed Jl 26, 2013, rom hps://mleslre.o/Lws/generlLws/Pri/tlevii/Chper40/
Secon4e.
16 Nonl allnce or Pblc Chrer Schools. A new model
law or supporting the growth o high-quality public charter
schools. (Wshnon, D.C.: Jne 2009). accessed aprl 15,
2013, rom www.pblcchrers.or/edor/les/NaPCS%20
Docmens/2009NaPCSModelLw.pd.
17 L. M. Rhm nd P. t. ONel l, Creating equal opportunitiesor students with disabilities: State action and model charter school
special education policy language(Chco: Nonl assocon o
Chrer School ahorzers, n press).
18 J. P. Heber,