By Lori Weiss Staff Writer
Source: NOW
Thursday, November 8, 2007
Edition: NOW Early, Section: A News, Page 14
When Kim Nerone’s son’s grades began
dropping, she didn’t know where to turn.
"No one wanted to help," she said.
So like many other parents of special
education students in the Wauwatosa School District, she hired an
advocate and had her son placed at Kradwell School, 1220 Dewey Ave., for
his core classes during part of the school day.
Kradwell is a private kindergarten through
12th-grade school that specializes in students who are unsuccessful in
the traditional school environment.
Her son had a 1.3 grade point average when
he arrived at Kradwell a little more than two years ago, and now his GPA
has risen to a 3.2.
"It was a beautiful setup for us, but it
was especially hard, more than it should have been," she said.
Parents raise concerns
Nerone’s situation isn’t unique. In recent
months a group of special education parents have stepped forward to
raise concerns about their children’s struggles with the district’s
current curriculum.
As a result of their children struggling,
they have spent thousands of dollars on tutoring and countless hours
working with and reteaching their children nearly every night of the
week.
"I always feel my girl is running in too
big of shoes," parent Barb Rabell said. "Not only are these kids working
harder, they are always behind. It saddens me that I am paying for
things that should be there naturally.
"We believe our kids can do just as well
as the other kids, but they just need a little more help in a certain
area."
Bill Anderson, supervisor of Student
Learning, said the district is currently looking at the gap between
children with and without disabilities, which he said needs to improve.
"Their concerns are very valid concerns,"
he said. "We are looking at it."
Parent Mary Newton said there are children
at four different levels who are being taught at one level.
"Some kids get enough to put everything
together," she said. "You see that kids who aren’t able to do that
rapidly start to fail. Kids in special education have nowhere else to
look."
Balancing student needs
With about 10 percent of the district’s
students having special needs, Anderson said it’s difficult to balance
the needs of each child.
"Our ultimate goal is to meet all of their
needs in every facet we can," he said. "You keep working toward that
goal."
Therese Kwiatkowski, interim director of
student services, agrees.
"The ultimate goal is to close the gap,
but in reality the critical piece is monitoring growth and progress,"
she said. "I think some things we do very well. Many are successful in
the general education environment."
Amy Fox has three children in special
education in Wauwatosa and said she has been very satisfied with the
district.
"Everyone was always very supportive,
encouraging," she said.
Fox said she often works with her children
after school, but said it’s her job.
"We are our child’s first teacher," she
said. "We are right on task."
Direct instruction used
But for those who aren’t succeeding,
parents look to places like Kradwell that use different programs, like
direct instruction, for help.
Direct instruction is a scientifically
research-based program that allows teachers to target where each child’s
deficit is in a consistent manner.
The district currently uses direct
instruction in pockets.
Kwiatkowski said the district is looking
at different programs, like direct instruction, in the long-range
planning process. During the process they will determine which schools
use which programs, and which schools need which programs.
"Something we need to be better at is
coming up with more options, interventions," Kwiatkowski said.
Superintendent Phil Ertl said the district
needs to be open to trying new things.
"We need more tools in our toolbox. It’s a
way needs can be met," he said. "Our concern is we don’t have consistent
methods to meet the needs of our students."
The district also began using Measures of
Academic Progress Assessments, which will give the district additional
information on each of the students’ needs.
"There is more to the district than WKCE
scores," Kwiatkowski said. "We need to get better overall."
And in order to get better, Anderson said
it needs to be a joint effort. "There is only one way to cure this thing
— how can we work together to meet your needs," he said.
While the district is currently working on
a solution to meeting all of their students’ needs, some parents say
they don’t have time to wait.
"In the meantime we have to triage our
kids," Newton said. "You have to do something for the kids who are here
now."
Lori Weiss can be reached at
lweiss@cninow.com or (262) 446-6645.
