BOE hears from Special Ed Advocates
Aug. 23 meeting: advocacy and help for those with dyslexia, facilities and staffing updates
Wyatt Migdal is a seventh grader at Oakdale Middle School. He has been diagnosed with dyslexia, a language-based learning disability for which he requires a different teaching approach to keep up to grade level in reading and other language skills. He recounted his learning experiences through elementary school as he spoke to the Board of Education meeting on August 23. Starting out at Brunswick Elementary School, Wyatt said, “I was not getting what I needed in reading. I was having trouble saying the words, reversing letters and writing my thoughts. I was pulled out of class every year but it didn’t help and it made me feel alone.”
In fourth grade, Wyatt transferred to Deer Crossing Elementary School where he experienced learning differently. “My special education teachers taught me letter rules and sounds and had me move around. This was a different way to learn for me. My scores went way up.” By sixth grade Wyatt was lagging again in language arts. “I was getting more help in math,” he said. “And I did well in tech expo, lab 21 and history. I felt supported in those classes. I was challenged and had hands-on projects. But I don’t feel like I learned anything in writing last year. Now I may have to get tutored after school by a dyslexic specialist and that stinks because other kids are playing.”
A group of six parents, education specialists and professionals advocated for children with dyslexia at the BOE meeting. Marla Migdal is the leader of the Frederick County Chapter of Decoding Dyslexia Maryland, a grassroots movement to raise awareness for this condition which affects about 14% of students nationally, according to the Decoding Dyslexia website. About 20% of students exhibit some symptoms associated with dyslexia so that they continue to struggle in school. Ms. Migdal, herself a former special education teacher, recounted how FCPS had instituted a pilot program for these students and in 2002 expanded it to include special education available in all elementary and middle schools. The program was discontinued in 2005.
Several advocacy group speakers referred to the effectiveness of Orton-Gillingham, a well-established approach to reading instruction for students with dyslexia. This approach combines multi-sensory techniques along three learning pathways to capitalize on an individual student’s dominant learning style. The advocates stressed the importance of early intervention, teacher training and multi-sensory instruction.
A professional member of the group, Dr. Fran Levin Bowman, reported how she had trained 15 teachers and teacher aides with a 60-hour Orton-Gillingham course at Monocacy Valley Montessori Public Charter School. In Frederick County, MVM has consistently been among the highest performing schools in reading. “When every child learns to read and you get rid of your low performing kids your scores go up,” she explains. “A rising tide raises all boats.” Dr. Bowman is currently training 600 special educators and reading specialists in Baltimore County. They are participating in a 60-hour Orton-Gillingham course. She says, “We need to understand that dyslexic children have bright futures when they get help.”
Wyatt Migdal puts it more bluntly. “My brain is different. So change the way you teach.”
The advocacy group received a compassionate hearing from BOE members. “We really value your input,” Joy Schaefer said. “We will take your suggestions to heart.”
“This is near and dear to my heart,” added April Miller, PhD who recounted how she sees patients who struggle to read. “I think we need a plan that will involve some fiscal resources to get us back to where we’ve been. Whatever I can do to help, I will. This impacts so many kids. We need to look at how we can teach kids to read, and how we currently do that.”
“This is important for us to hear,” Michael Bunitsky said. “We will continue to have a dialogue.”
Currently, 38 states have passed some kind of dyslexia law. Since 2015 Maryland has been working with a Dyslexia Education Task Force to develop a pilot program for students with dyslexia at Maryland public schools. A Technical Assistance Bulletin was issued last November. Looking at this movement towards legislation, the BOE has requested a follow-up report on FCPS special education at their September 27th meeting.
2017 Facilities Master Plan
A first draft of the 2017 Facilities Master Plan was presented as a blueprint for construction and modernization over the next ten years. The enrollment projections show the highest growth at the elementary and high school levels. The plan increases capacity by 3,800 seats over a ten-year period, adding four new elementary schools: Butterfly Ridge opening in 2018, Sugar Loaf opening in 2020, an elementary school on the east side of the county in 2022, and a fourth elementary school adjacent to Tuscarora Crossing in the north of the county in 2025. The plan identifies the need for six redistricting studies and calls for eight modernization projects.
Taking a look at systemic needs for building improvements, Paul Lebo, COO and facilities planning staff have identified 84 projects costing from $8 to $10 million per year over a six-year period. Upgrades for eleven different schools are planned for 2019. The budget for the six-year CIP is estimated at $400 million. A request for $24 million for the 2019 CIP has been made, calculated at 64% of construction costs. However that percentage of shared construction costs is currently under review by the state. Public comment on the plan will be on the agenda at the next BOE meeting on September 13th with final approval on September 27th.
Strategic Staffing Update
The purpose of the strategic staffing update is to evaluate the effectiveness of strategic staffing deployment. Deputy Superintendent Dr. Michael Markoe shared feedback from his meetings with teachers, specialists and counselors over the summer. The four areas discussed were: salary scale, class size, social/emotional/behavioral support, and complexity factors. It was noted that social and emotional support was consuming a major share of the resources. A request was made to standardize the role of specialists. Central office strategic staff could add some classroom responsibilities.
In a review of the complexity factors, it was noted that different schools have different factors and the five Title 1 elementary schools have different staffing models . The Board asked for the preparation of additional complexity models at the secondary level. The use of substitute teachers was also discussed. Attendance records differ by school and the Board needed to learn the reasons why . Dr. Markoe agreed to prepare a report with additional tiers for complexity models with differentiated staffing. The report will also include special education.
