Teach Effectively!

The frequently maligned local education agency of Washington (DC, US) is taking steps to improve the services it provides to students with disabilities, according to an article by V. Dion Haynes entitled “Special-Ed Getting New Computer System, Staff” and published 27 February 2008 in the Wasington Post. These changes stem from a suit—Blackman v. District of Columbia—in which parents claimed that their children were not receiving special education services in a timely manner.

The District school system plans to spend $4.3 million on a computer system designed to keep track of special education students’ academic life, replacing several systems plagued by bad data and an inability to communicate with one another.

During a news conference yesterday, D.C. State Superintendent of Education Deborah A. Gist also announced that the city plans to hire 30 full-time case management workers, at a cost of $3.2 million, so that students referred to special education can receive services more quickly

The initiatives are “a way in which we intend to serve students more effectively,” Gist said. She was joined by Mayor Adrian M. Fenty (D) at a news conference in the lobby of her office at Judiciary Square.

I am glad to see that the DC schools are responding to the issue of getting services to students quickly. Given the numbers of students served in large local education agencies, it is understandable that computer systems could be helpful. Including case managers also is quite sensible, and I hope that they can be authorized and prepared to work collaboratively with parents in ensuring the delivery of services.

What remains to be ensured, of course, is the quality of those services. I’m not talking about “Cadillac-vs-Chevrolet” quality of services. I’m referring to the nature or character of the services. Will the case managers broker evidence-based practices? Will the computers track progress on important relevant student outcomes and the services that produce those outcomes?

I hope that the DC schools place similar emphasis on preparing and empowering special education providers to deliver effective teaching practices.

Link to Mr. Haynes’ article.