HERMANTOWN — A report prepared by an independent consultant shows special education in the Hermantown School District needs improvement.
Special education consultant Michele Morgen discussed the report with the Hermantown School Board on Monday. The report highlights problems with individualized education plans (IEPs). Lack of cohesion between special education departments at different educational levels. The need for more communication and collaboration among staff. and the need to implement a more evidence-based curriculum.
“Throughout this process, we have found that all of our staff members, especially our special education staff, are extremely hardworking and all are motivated to do what is best for our students,” begins consultant Michele Morgen. Ta. “This is a snapshot of a district based on one set of data points, including MCA (Minnesota Comprehensive Assessment) test results.”
Morgen said she contacted staff through surveys, individual and group interviews, and a review of special education documentation. She said many staff members were grateful that someone asked for their opinion on the situation, but “also expressed doubts that anything would come of it.”
One of Morgen’s most important areas of interest was the development and progress of the IEP. An IEP is a written plan for a student with a disability that outlines the student’s needs and ways to support their educational progress.
Morgen said he witnessed a lot of “boxes being checked and paperwork being created,” but not much information changed from year to year, which could be the basis for a substantive complaint. He said there is.
“There were a lot of narrative-based documents,” she says. “This is parent-friendly, but it’s hard to write goals and objectives based on stories. It’s hard to collect data and show progress based on stories.
She cited two areas where Aurora Special Education Cooperative can help in IEP development. Creating more data-rich descriptions of IEPs and creating data tracking tools to measure and report progress.
Morgen said the school’s relationship with the Aurora Special Education Cooperative needs to be further developed to bridge the gap.
Another concern is the lack of communication and collaboration between staff within and outside the special education department. For example, paraprofessionals don’t have enough time in the day to meet, discuss progress, and collaborate with special education teachers. Additionally, general education teachers do not always collaborate with special education teachers and paraprofessionals.
“Perhaps one of the biggest barriers I saw in this district was that everyone reported valuing collaboration, but there was little evidence that it was actually happening. There was a lot of on-the-spot interaction in the hallways,” Morgen said. Or if you can catch students before school starts, you know, things like that, the system doesn’t really support teachers collaborating outside of the same group. ”
Another issue Morgen outlined is the lack of consistency between the different levels of special education. Elementary school staff don’t seem to know what kindergarten staff do regarding special education, and high school staff don’t seem to know about the middle school system.
“This is a disconnect, and the result is a lot of assumptions being made about the upper and lower levels,” Morgen said. She recommended training across special education departments to increase awareness.
Morgen also pointed to the lack of evidence-based curriculum in the special education sector.
“I’m sure your new TOSA (Teacher on Special Assignment) is working on it, but there’s just a lot of people creating their own stuff,” Morgen said. “In the absence of anything, people will do it, but it’s not very effective for professional instruction. There’s little evidence of an evidence-based curriculum with scope and sequence.”
Superintendent Wayne Whitwam said he received the report just 24 hours before the school board’s presentation and is still reviewing and digesting its contents.
“I started digging through the content and highlighting it and thinking about what level we should approach this at,” Whitwam said. “We have the next executive cabinet meeting next Friday. I got this last night and the principal got it last night, so we haven’t had time to plan yet.”
School Board Chairman Tim Peterson asked more specifically whether the district was “out of compliance” regarding special education. Morgen responded that it would be considered non-compliant in some areas.
“What I’m hearing is not encouraging,” Peterson said. “This is not a good report.”
Morgen responded that there are “bright spots” in the district.
“People are working hard. Staff are building meaningful relationships with students and should be commended for that,” Morgen said. “But when you start to get into the whole delivery of special education services, the letter of the law doesn’t cut it. We need to build on that further in line with our intent.”
Terry Cadeau is a features reporter for the Duluth News Tribune. A native of the Iron Range, Cadeau has worked for several community newspapers in the Duluth area, including the Duluth Ballestair News, Western Weekly, Weekly Observer, Lake County News Chronicle, and occasionally the Crockett Pine Journal. I did. When she’s not working, she’s an avid reader, crafter, dancer, trivia buff, and cribbage player.
