What do you think school will be like in the fall? UPDATE page 29 for Mass.

I absolutely agree. I just find that many people think it’s perfectly fine for kids in special ed to get left behind in this at-home situation, but the minute taking away opportunities for gifted kids comes up (it shouldn’t, no argument there), that’s what gets people riled up. BOTH deserve the education that’s appropriate for them. It just often seems like usually only teachers and parents of special ed kids defend special ed, whereas a wider range of people defend gifted / honors.
I suspect the ones who think it's OK to leave special ed behind are not the same ones advocating for gifted programs.
 
i will be fascinated to see how this is accomplished.

i'm rural. because of existing decades old contracts between government agencies with then landline phone companies to plow hundreds of thousands into providing landlines-i only have one option for internet which is lacking at best. i can't complain too much though, at least i have access. my neighbors who have bought/built since about 7 years ago can't get landline or internet through the same company (not cost effective on the company's part to extend the lines) which is a legal sole monopoly. cell providers (cell service is spotty at best here) charge hundreds upon hundreds of dollars a month for internet hot spot services (only neighbors who opt in are those whose employers pay for it).

if the 5g providers can figure out some way to get around the mountain terrain that blocks cell signals and the rock base terrain that prevents in ground lines-awesome b/c i would love to receive so much as more than 1 bar of cellular service anywhere within 3 miles of my home.
Well it will be based on cellular connectivity, so guess will have to go by how good your cell signal is. I'm sure there are area's with no cell service that won't get 5G.

I work in the satellite industry, and part of the 5G upgrade is that they are taking a large chunk of our frequency spectrum for it (also why UHF TV channels have been moved around if you still get TV over the air). They made their case to the FCC that them getting the spectrum would be more beneficial to the people as they would be able to provide high speed internet to rural area's. Of course they said this to make their case, not sure how much effort will be put in to extremely rural areas... but if you get cell signal, they will be able to upgrade the towers to 5G. They particularly wanted our spectrum since those frequencies travel further, so you will have to see.
 
While I see this as a better solution than what we currently have, I can't wrap my head around how this works. I have 4 kids - how are they all going to be online all day, all at the same time? I don't see how younger kids stay engaged this way. Not to mention all the issues you've mentioned. And we still have the problem of some kids not having internet access. I agree, it will be interesting to see.
Agree! The only way I could see it work is allowing virtual as optional. In other words, allow students back in the classroom with appropriate distancing but give parents the option to have kids attend virtually if they are willing and able to. It would make for fewer kids in the classroom, and hopefully allow those segments also mentioned bellow (abused, underprivileged, special needs) the in-person attention they will need. But I think to make that work, they'd have to mandate X number of kids allowed in the classroom and X number of kids will be virtual to avoid everyone choosing one over the other.

This is horrible solution for underprivileged children, ones whose parents aren't able or won't supervise their child during school hours, and abused and at risk students. This will set us back light years in terms of education equality and a over reaction to a disease the average person has a over a 98% chance of surviving.
I agree; however, the school implementing this that I referenced is in an affluent suburban area. While there likely are abused, at-risk and even underprivileged students who attend, I'd be hopeful accommodations could be made for them considering it would be a very small portion of their demographics. Perhaps by making virtual as optional as I mentioned above. But to your point, this would be a major concern if other schools decided to take a similar approach.

I guess the special needs kids are screwed too.
Yeah, I'm sure that's one of the things they are still working through. There will be no good solution where all the needs of the school, teachers/faculty, students, government, and individual's health can all be addressed to everyone's satisfaction.
 
True, but I also have often seen people refuse to acknowledge that kids in special ed have a right to what they need. It’s inherently an issue of a lack of proper funding for the needs of ALL students.

I don’t know if you are aware, but gifted kids are often entitled to what is commonly called a Gifted IEP, laying the legal foundation for an appropriate education for them. I wish thus was taken advantage of more frequently.

Unfortunately, that's a matter of state law and my state doesn't have such a policy. That's a big part of how we ended up with kids in private school - my middle child is a talented student and the elementary school was not only unable to offer anything challenging. At best, she got extra worksheets of the same concepts the whole class was working on; at worst, she was grading papers and doing odd jobs for her teacher. So we moved her to a school that doesn't have a formal gifted program but which has tiny classes and an overarching philosophy of individualized education, where she was able to work at something closer to her own pace.

I suspect the ones who think it's OK to leave special ed behind are not the same ones advocating for gifted programs.

I agree. I think there are, broadly, two mindsets when it comes to education that show up with particular clarity in times of crisis - those who think the schools should meet every child's needs (and therefore provide robust programs for kids who fall outside of "average" on both ends of the spectrum) and those who think the schools should provide the fundamentals and parents are responsible for accommodating their kids if they need something beyond that.
 


I am just curious about your comment, I work at a middle school in s fla and we happen to be a 5 core gifted center and a see center for asd both are required by our district to have an iron for see or ep for gifted on file and renewed regularly! I was under the impression this is the law federally! Your school doesn’t do gifted ep’s with parent meetings support and goals?
Gifted IEPs are definitely not a federal requirement, and most states don't have them as requirements either.
In Maryland, there's a requirement that all elementary schools kids are screened for giftedness, but no requirement whatsoever that anything is done with that info. So most districts screen all second graders, send the parents a letter that their kid may be gifted, and then change *nothing* for the education for those kids.
 
Our local schools announced yesterday that they will allow parents to choose to have their students go to a regular classroom setting or virtual learning. It will be interesting to see how many choose virtual learning.
I wonder if they will allow a cutoff point for that decision to change. I suspect time will have an impact on both. Someone saying they want virtual classrooms in mid-late May may want regular classrooms come July for the upcoming school year or vice versa. How things progress not only with knowledge but also handling of the virus throughout summer may be quite impactful as well.
 


Gifted IEPs are definitely not a federal requirement, and most states don't have them as requirements either.
In Maryland, there's a requirement that all elementary schools kids are screened for giftedness, but no requirement whatsoever that anything is done with that info. So most districts screen all second graders, send the parents a letter that their kid may be gifted, and then change *nothing* for the education for those kids.
Having the information is better than not having it. But only a little. What a ridiculous policy.
 
I find it disturbing that there is often so much support for making sure gifted and honors-level students get the specialized instruction they are entitled to, while at the same time there is often so little support for making sure special ed students get the support they are legally entitled to.
I can only speak to my personal experience, but at my kids' schools, gifted education barely existed. I WISH it got the same support as other special ed programs.
 
I find it disturbing that there is often so much support for making sure gifted and honors-level students get the specialized instruction they are entitled to, while at the same time there is often so little support for making sure special ed students get the support they are legally entitled to.

The funding just doesn’t bare that out -and there has been study after study about the lack of gifted funding compared to special education funding.

The cure for cancer, and global warming, and 22nd century technology breakthroughs are sitting in those gifted classrooms, but national support for those students in public school is abhorrent.
 
I suspect the ones who think it's OK to leave special ed behind are not the same ones advocating for gifted programs.

Not necessarily. My kids qualified for gifted programs but I also have a nephew who gets a lot of special ed services through his school, has an IEP and all of that. The distance learning since schools have been shut for 2 months makes it SO hard for kids like him. Prior to corona virus, he was being pulled out of the regular classroom for about 50-60% of his school day in order to get the additional special ed services he requires.

So right now, he's getting none of that. He's way behind in math and reading. He's struggling. That's valuable time completely lost with all of those special education instructors and professionals. And there are LOTS of other kids out there just like him. It totally sucks.
 
Well it will be based on cellular connectivity, so guess will have to go by how good your cell signal is. I'm sure there are area's with no cell service that won't get 5G.

I work in the satellite industry, and part of the 5G upgrade is that they are taking a large chunk of our frequency spectrum for it (also why UHF TV channels have been moved around if you still get TV over the air). They made their case to the FCC that them getting the spectrum would be more beneficial to the people as they would be able to provide high speed internet to rural area's. Of course they said this to make their case, not sure how much effort will be put in to extremely rural areas... but if you get cell signal, they will be able to upgrade the towers to 5G. They particularly wanted our spectrum since those frequencies travel further, so you will have to see.


i guess we are s.o.l. we can't pick up a cell signal except in certain locations in our area (you basicly drive around until you can catch one-big reason land lines are still popular here). over the air tv? not a chance.

i joke that i live in the middle of nowhere-fact is i'm within the 2nd largest county in the state of washington so there are MUCH more rural areas that ours (like the ones we drive through going to the west side of the state where we cant catch a cell signal, radio or our sirius).
 
Perhaps those AP classes can be done remotely for the time being. As I indicated to another PP, this was a suggestion to keep kids out of crowded hallways during period changes when we need to promote social distancing. It is not ideal and certainly not for the long term.
There are a variety of ways to keep kids in class and float teachers to allow them to not enter halls! But with any plan there will be give and take! Everyone has to realize school will change! If a school which built classes to accomadate twenty students those rooms may only have ten with social distancing ! If there are support personnel involved it may be lower! Who gets a seat? Do they go every other day? Every other week? What about parents dependent on schools for child care? Do they work remote on odd days can they? What about before and after care ? Restrict seats ? I am just saying you shouldn’t expect to have the exact set up as before! It won’t work with the pandemic
 
Under normal circumstances, yes. But I wouldn’t go to someone’s home during a pandemic.

I agree with this and to add to that in my urban district many parents would not invite us into their homes. Most of the kids do not turn on their cameras because of they are embarrassed by their homes. Yesterday I was working one to one with a student doing the best we could with a shaky internet when her chromebook died because her family had just moved to a new house that does not have 3 prong outlets and the adapters her mom bought were not working. I don't know when she will be able to be back on line. I am really getting burned out with distance learning. I find myself checking out mentally. I have 7 years until retirement and this is really pushing me to my limits. I find myself becoming even more of an advocate for my special needs kids from poor houses and their lack of opportunity because of circumstances out of their control. Governor Cuomo can come on down and tell me how this is the wave of the future. By the way he has told districts that they may have mid year cuts to their funding so that makes all of this more of a joke.
 
Our local schools announced yesterday that they will allow parents to choose to have their students go to a regular classroom setting or virtual learning. It will be interesting to see how many choose virtual learning.
Excellent that there is a choice.

I wonder how much extra work this will be for teachers.
 
I am just curious about your comment, I work at a middle school in s fla and we happen to be a 5 core gifted center and a see center for asd both are required by our district to have an iron for see or ep for gifted on file and renewed regularly! I was under the impression this is the law federally! Your school doesn’t do gifted ep’s with parent meetings support and goals?

I’m actually not familiar with the GT policies where I teach, as that isn’t my specialty. But, we do have a GT program. I know, though, that not every district has them. My own kids are well past that stage (both in college next year).
 
Then you don't really understand the issues the truly gifted kids are dealing with. It's not just about them being smart. Their minds are wired differently and have a unique set of needs and challenges. Gifted kids don't just sail through class with parents demanding separate classes for their little genius to outshine everyone else. Many gifted kids flounder without trained, understanding staff to help them succeed in a school setting.

I’m well versed in this from the family side, thank you very much. And I’m a huge advocate for an appropriate education for all students, asI think I’ve made very clear in my posts. I’m not terribly familiar with the GT program’s ins and outs in the district where I teach, as I mentioned in my last post. But I know full well that truly GT kids absolutely need a different approach to learning.
 
Excellent that there is a choice.

I wonder how much extra work this will be for teachers.
I am quite sure it will be alot of extra work for teachers with little to no pay increase. That is just a guest. The full plan has not been rolled out yet. I am wondering if they will have some teachers who are only virtual teachers and not have to deal with the classroom aspect of it .
 
I’m actually not familiar with the GT policies where I teach, as that isn’t my specialty. But, we do have a GT program. I know, though, that not every district has them. My own kids are well past that stage (both in college next year).
Congratulations on successful parenting getting them to college ends stage 1! Now teaching them about college freedoms choices on their own that’s when it gets fun! Enjoy! Mine got one degree and is waiting on acceptance to a program for a second degree but this time she chose to do it took the needed pre requisites is paying 100% on her own so I think my school days are done!
 

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