2012 conventions 2012 election 2013 session 2013 special election arts arts and culture author ballot measures basketball bomb books boy scouts budget bullying business charlie hales children clackamas climate change coal college courts crime culture culture club democrats drugs economy education environment family film fluoride food gay rights guns handguns health health care health insurance high school history housing immigration international internet kitzhaber law legislature lgbt literary arts living marijuana marriage media medicine mental health military minor parties mohamed mohamud movies music native americans news newspaper obama olympics oregon our town parenting pers photography police politcs politics port portland portland business journal president prevention public safety religion republicans rnc romney rural salem sam adams sandy hook schools science shooting sports suicide supreme court taxes technology television terrorism theater third parties transportation union university of oregon washington wildfire women

One of the "backbones" of Special Education is the Individual Education Plan (or Program), aka the "IEP". In that plan, specially designed instruction (SDI: instruction that is unique to that child so they learn a skill, concept, etc.) needs to be evident. One thing that happens so often, especially from about middle school on is that the meetings in which these plans are designed do not include the child nor do they address where the child is heading after they LEAVE high school. The idea of teaching transition knowledge and skill is often left to the END of the meeting (and often when there are only a few minutes left). Transition and creating a vision for the future should be the topic that BEGINS the meeting. Not only that, the student's VOICE needs to be heard by including the student in the discussion and planning.

As the Oregon Diploma raises the academic bar making academic skill and performance more and more rigorous, focusing on building bridges between high school and life after high school becomes all the more important. Especially for those students who may be unable to, regardless of supports provided, earn their Oregon Diploma.

posted 4 years, 1 month ago
view in context