The Texas Education Agency Eliminating Mistreatment of Special

The Texas Education Agency : Eliminating Mistreatment of Special Education Students Kenitha Ellison The George Washington University PSPR 6230: Final Project

What is the TEA? § The Texas Education Agency is a state agency that oversees primary and secondary public education § TEA helps deliver education to more than 5 million students Organizational DNA: § Providing leadership, guidance and resources to help schools meet the educational needs of all students

TEA Fact Sheet § The work of TEA and the entire public school system is driven by laws created by the Texas Legislature and the U. S. Congress § TEA provides support to the State Board of Education (SBOE) in the development of the statewide curriculum § The TEA Monitors for compliance with certain federal and state guidelines

Situational Analysis § Video Footage has appeared of a child with autism being harshly thrown into the 7 ft by 8 ft room with a door as punishment § The Issue: Outraged parents want rooms removed and are pushing for new legislation that would require all special education classrooms to have cameras to track treatment of the students

Legitimacy Gap The TEA is responsible for guiding and monitoring activities and programs related to public education in Texas Some teachers argue that the calm rooms are often the best option to “calm” special education students when they act out Parents want legislation mandated to hold school districts accountable for the misuse of calm rooms

Stakeholders Internal: Internal • TEA • State Board of Education • State Board for Educator Certification • Educators/Teachers • Administrators External • Parents of Students • Disability Rights Texas • News Media • Reporters/Journalists • Advocacy Groups

Leadership Platform The TEA will collaborate with the SBOE to re-emphasize the monitoring process for all activities and programs Train educators with assistance of Disability Rights Texas on how to properly calm the students without using excessive force TEA will work with legislators to remove “calm rooms” as a disciplinary action

Recommendations § Implement training programs on special education students; opened to teachers and parents § Promote understanding and keep open communication between parents, teachers and TEA. § Introduce the “We Learn Together” program for teachers and students

Timeline 3 Months: Months TEA perform internal investigations of improper usage of “calm rooms” 6 Months: Months TEA present findings of investigations to SBOE and legislators 9 Months: Months All “calm rooms” removed from public schools 15 Months: Months Legislation passed to include cameras in all class rooms 6 Months: Months Begin implementation of “We Learn Together” program

Picture of Success • Special Education students no longer improperly reprimanded • Teachers gain a better understanding of interacting with autistic children • Parents trust in TEA and public schools system restored • “We Learn Together” program eliminates special education students feelings of being outcasts

References § Autism Speaks. “School Age Children. ” Autismspeaks. org. Retrieved from https: //www. autismspeaks. org/audience/school-age-children § Disability Rights Texas. “What We Do. ” disabilityrightstx. org. Retrieved from www. disabilityrightstx. org/what-we-do § Lee, David. “Texas School's Use of 'Calm Room' Questioned” courthousenews. com. 2 September 2014. Retrieved from http: //www. courthousenews. com/2014/09/02/70945. htm. § Friedman, Scott. “At Least Five Districts Found to Use Calm Rooms for Disruptive Students. ” Nbcdfw. com. 5 November 2014. Retrieved from http: //www. nbcdfw. com/investigations/At. Least-Five-Districts-Found-to-Use-Calm-Rooms-for-Disruptive-Students-281656671. html § Friedman, Scott. “Fallout from video alters Plano ISD’s policy on ‘calm rooms. ’” Dallasnews. com. 24 April 2015. Retrieved from http: //www. dallasnews. com/news/community-news/plano/headlines/20150424 -fallout-from -video-alters-plano-isds-policy-on-calm-rooms. ece

References § Friedman, Scott. “Fallout from video alters Plano ISD’s policy on ‘calm rooms. ’” Dallasnews. com. 24 April 2015. Retrieved from http: //www. dallasnews. com/news/community-news/plano/headlines/20150424 -fallout-from -video-alters-plano-isds-policy-on-calm-rooms. ece § Friedman, Scott. “Texas Education Agency Reviews Calm Room. ” Nbcdfw. com. 12 May 2015. Retrieved from http: //www. nbcdfw. com/investigations/Texas-Education-Agency-Reviews. Calm-Room-Use-Following-NBC-5 -Investigation-303497861. html § Resmovits, Joy. “George W. Bush's Education Law, No Child Left Behind, Abandoned by Texas. ” huffingtonpost. com. 30 September 2013. Retrieved from http: //www. huffingtonpost. com/2013/09/30/bush-education-law-texas_n_4018971. html § Solomon, Dan. “What You Should Know about Elementary School ‘Calm’ and ‘Focus’ Rooms. ” texasmonthly. com. 19 May 2015. Retrieved from http: //www. texasmonthly. com/dailypost/what-you-should-know-about-elementary-school-%E 2%80%9 Ccalm%E 2%80%9 D-and%E 2%80%9 Cfocus%E 2%80%9 D-rooms

References § Texas Education Agency. “About TEA. ” tea. texas. gov. Retrieved from http: //tea. texas. gov/About_TEA/ § Texas Education Agency. “No Child Left Behind and Elementary and Secondary Education Act. ” tea. texas. gov. Retrieved from http: //tea. texas. gov/nclb/ § United States Department of Education. “Executive Summary of No Child Left Behind. ” 2. ed. gov. January 2001. Retrieved from http: //www 2. ed. gov/nclb/overview/intro/execsumm. html § Wilonsky, Robert. “In Tarrant County, a federal lawsuit filed over Mansfield ISD elementary’s ‘calm rooms’ for developmentally disabled. ” Dallasnews. com. 29 August 2014. Retrieved from http: //thescoopblog. dallasnews. com/2014/08/in-tarrant-county-afederal-lawsuit-filed-over-mansfield-isd-elementarys-calm-rooms-for-developmentallydisabled. html/