WEBVTT

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[music plays]

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Principal Flores: As educators, it always seems like we have new
issues to deal with, but one thing always remains the same—or

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should—and that is providing the best education possible for all
students. Only, some of our students are in danger of falling through

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the cracks. Hi there. I'm Yolanda Flores. I'm the principal at Wilbur
Valley Middle School. You see, our students with disabilities didn't

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perform very well on the standardized tests the past couple of years.
In fact, last year we were 4% lower than the previous school year at

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the Basic level. Only 1 or 2% of students with disabilities scored at
the Proficient level, and no one scored at the Advanced levels, even

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though we've made accommodations. Everyone at our school agrees that
students with disabilities should be a part of our accountability

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system. And these students are entitled to accommodations so they can
show what they've really learned. But it can be so confusing—all these

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different rules and exceptions! After getting together with my School
Improvement Team and hearing what they had to say on the matter, I

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decided that it was time to sit down with my assistant principal, Jim
Ericson, and come up with a plan of action.

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I think what we need to do now, Jim, is focus on the solution. We need
to create an action plan, one that's going to pull these kids up.

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Mr. Ericson: Well, we could start by bringing in some more special ed
teachers.

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Principal Flores: Yeah, don't I wish? The ones we've got are
overworked as it is. What do you really think it's going to take to

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raise the scores?

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Mr. Ericson: Off the top of my head? I don't know. We've included
special ed students in general education classes. I think that's

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important, but I wonder if we've done an effective job with inclusion?

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Principal Flores: You know, it's possible these kids know more than
their test scores show. I think we need to sit down with the general

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ed and special ed teachers and have a meeting.

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Mr. Ericson: That's a good idea. Our teacher are really dedicated. And
I know they've really been focusing on the basics. They spend extra

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hours working on math facts and reading.

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Principal Flores: Unfortunately, what they're doing isn't the answer.
It's going to be a challenge to figure out where to go from here,

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isn't it?