Project Title: Sumner Inclusion Project

Sumner School District Contact: Betsy Minor Reid 1202 Wood Avenue Sumner, WA 98390 (253) 891 6040

Population	Special Educ	504	Title I/LAP	ESL
7540	891	62	1093	47

 

Sumner Inclusion Project (SIP) Progress Report, 2001

Lakeridge Junior High
5909 Myers Road E.
Sumner, WA 98390

Lakeridge's SIP efforts have had three main focal points:

• enhancing the reading and written language skills of our IEP students to facilitate more successful general education class outcomes
• broadening the skills of general education teachers
• providing increased opportunities for general education-special education teacher collaboration

Our target population was eight students with solid work habits who appeared to be potentially capable of succeeding in full-time general education placements.

Over the course of the inclusion grant we have expanded the number of Corrective Reading sections offered, initiated use of the SRA Reasoning and Writing program and linked it with the 6 Trait Writing model, and created scheduling accomodations which afforded heightened opportunities for teacher collaboration. We also formalized and expanded our study skill options to include specific instruction in skills such as critical reading, differentiating between opinion and fact, and functional consumer skills.

The SIP has provided several staff training opportunities. Included among them have been ongoing consultation with an SRA field representative to facilitate effective implementation of the Corrective Reading program, large group training in making accommodations for IEP students in general education seettings, and financial support for staff attendance at the University of Washington-Tacoma's Adolescent Literacy Conference and the Council for Exceptional Children's yearly conference.

Student outcomes to date have been encouraging. Seven of our eight students are on track for promotion to high school next year and two likely will be exited from special education assistance before the end of 2000-01. Most of these students have earned grade point averages in excess of 3.00. Students' writing skill in particular have improved considerably and ongong evaluation by Lakeridge's theme reader has found our target students consistently earning "3s" on their written projects.

Challenges still remain. Maintaining general education teacher involvement has proven to be somewhat trickier than anticipated. However, our efforts to date represent a good beginning.

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This article is in the public domain and can be freely copied and used in trainings as handouts at parent and community meetings, and in creating your school or district programs. (Please cite all sources of materials you use.)

This information is provided by:
Office of State Superintendent of Public Instruction
Special Education
P O Box 47200
Olympia, WA 98504-7200
(360) 725-6088
Fax (360)586-1631
E-mail: dgill@ospi.wednet.edu