napcs-improving access and creating exceptional opportunities for students with disabilities in...

7/27/2019 NAPCS-Improving Access and Creating Exceptional Opportunities for Students With Disabilities in Public Charter Schools

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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


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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


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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.

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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.

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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

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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

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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.

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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.

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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).

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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).

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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

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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.

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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.

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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

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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.

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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

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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

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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

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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.

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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,

napcs-improving access and creating exceptional opportunities for students with disabilities in...

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