13 research outputs found
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Teacher Evaluations in the Special Education Setting: Voices from the Field
National policy mandates have placed greater accountability on districts and schools to improve the outcomes of every student, including students with disabilities. Teacher evaluation systems that accurately identify effective teachers and their impact on student learning have resulted in the widespread design and implementation of new teacher evaluation systems. Nevertheless, limited exploration related to the evaluation of special education teachers exists. Using a qualitative, multi-case study research design, we sought to gain insight into the perceptions and experiences of special education teachers and administrators to better understand (a) the relationship between teacher evaluation and teacher effectiveness; (b) the ways in which educators approach the challenges of applying teacher evaluation systems for special education teachers; and (c) the ways in which teacher evaluation processes support the professional growth and development of special education teachers. The challenges involved in evaluating special education teachers with a uniform teacher evaluation protocol instrument are presented. The need to be able to accurately appraise special education teachers within an inclusive classroom setting, apply criteria from the observation protocol to special education students, and lack of appraisersďż˝ knowledge of the roles and expertise of special education teachers were identified. Recommendations for improvement are provided.Educatio
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Can Regular and Special Education be Integrated into One System? Political Culture Theory May Have the Answer
This paper examines proposals to integrate regular and special education
More Than a Test Score: Toward a More Balanced School Accountability System
Using a zone of mediation framework, we explore how one school district designed a community-based accountability system (CBAS) reflecting community stakeholders’ values, priorities, and goals. We collected rich data sets from a document analysis, focus group, and individual interviews. Our findings indicated a strong dissatisfaction with test-based accountability that led the district to engage its stakeholders in designing a CBAS using multiple achievement measures to report on district success. The importance of collaboration with other districts and leaders at the local, regional, and state levels also emerged. This study highlights the importance of stakeholder involvement, leadership, and collaboration when making equity-minded reforms and exemplifies how to engage in this work
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Transforming Educational Leadership Preparation: Starting with Ourselves
To lead for social justice, scholars have maintained aspiring leaders should examine their own values and beliefs that dictate, to a great extent, their day-to-day decision-making and responsibilities. To do so requires faculty to examine themselves before they can prepare leaders for social justice. The purpose of this paper is to engage others with similar interests toward creating and/or improving programs designed to prepare leaders for social justice. Serving as a source of data and method of analysis, this duoethnography chronicles the life histories of two faculty members working in different leadership programs to reveal how their understanding of diversity and social justice has been formed over the course of their lives. Sharing stories, they dialogically critiqued and questioned each other, challenging one another to reconceptualize beliefs and meanings about their lived experiences. Duoethnography has the potential to transform faculty’s conceptions of diversity and social justice as well as promote empathy, compassion and understanding. When trust is established, faculty can take risks, ask tough questions, reveal vulnerabilities, exchange uncensored comments, and challenge deficit thinking. Duoethnography can be a valuable tool for faculty development. The authors question, however, whether faculty would be willing to employ duoethnography to explore their beliefs about diversity and increase their knowledge of social justice. Due to a perceived lack of trust, power differences, fear of uncovering biases, engaging in conflict, and/or denial of tenure and promotion, they question whether faculty would be willing to engage in this methodology
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The Missing Link for the Administration of Special Education: The Ethic of Care
This paper discusses the application of a care orientation to special education service delivery and administrative practice
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America 2000 and Special Education: Can the Two Be Merged?
This paper uses systems theory and force field analysis to evaluate the potential for combining special education with America 2000 national educational strategy and goals
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Teacher Evaluation in the Special Education Setting: Voices from the Field
This article uses a qualitative, multi-case study research design to gain insight into the perceptions and experiences of special education teachers and administrators
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Tensions and Transformations: Using an Ethical Framework to Teach a Course on Disability Law to Future Educational Leaders
This article explores the authors' experience using an ethical framework to teach a course on disability law to graduate level education students
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Education and Employment Outcomes from the RSA Data File for Transition-Age African American, White, and Hispanic Youth with Learning Disabilities
This article examines relationships among consumer demographic variables, services, and employment outcomes for 15-18 year old youth with learning disabilities using the 2012 Rehabilitation Services Administration database
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Response to Intervention: Perspectives of General and Special Education Professionals
This article describes implications for school leadership and the need for preservice and continuing professional development concerning all aspects of response to intervention (RTI)