Section 504 accomodations. Understanding Section 504: The American with Disabilities Act. Section 504 of the Americans with Disabilities Act guarantees that a child with a disability has equal ACCESS to an education and that it is comparable to an education provided to those who do not have a disability. Since it is a civil rights law, and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is an educational law, a child who receives services under 504 does not benefit from the same mandates as a child who receives special education services under IDEA.
Modifications and accommodations under 504 usually refer to improving building accessibility, classroom accommodations and curriculum modifications. Section 504 reads: “No otherwise qualified handicapped individual in the United States shall solely, by reason of his handicap, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance (this would include public schools).” NEW! DOWNLOAD TO YOUR COMPUTER TODAY! Section 504 - Civil Rights Law, Protection from Discrimination. Section 504 is a civil rights law that prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities. Section 504 ensures that the child with a disability has equal access to an education. The child may receive accommodations and modifications. Unlike the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), Section 504 does not require a public school to provide an individualized educational program (IEP) that is designed to meet a child's unique needs and provide the child with educational benefit.
Under Section 504, fewer procedural safeguards are available to the child with a disability and the child's parents than under IDEA. On September 25, 2008, the President signed the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act of 2008 (ADA AA). ADA AA Changes Apply to Section 504. 2015: US Department of Justice Technical Assistance on Testing Accommodations for individuals with disabilities who take standardized exams and high-stakes tests. 01/19/12: ADA - Additional Guidance from OCR. J. Fape.accoms. Much Ado About Grit? Interview with a Leading Psych Researcher. What is grit? Can it be measured accurately, and is it different from other personality traits? If so, how well does an individual’s level of “grit” predict how successful that person will be in the future? And is grit an innate characteristic, or can it be improved with practice? Twenty20.com The answers to these questions suddenly matter a great deal for schools.
To learn more about grit and the research behind it, I reached out to Marcus Crede, an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychology at Iowa State University and the author of a provocative new study called “Much Ado about Grit: A Meta-Analytic Synthesis of the Grit Literature.” Below is a lightly edited transcript of our conversation. Marcus CredePhoto via Iowa State University Aldeman: Can you start by saying what made you want to pursue this work on grit? Crede: Well, I have over the last 10-12 years now done a fair amount of work looking at predictors of educational success. Can you summarize what you found?
Assuming Positive Intent. We're mad. We're really, really mad -- and according to an Esquire/NBC News survey, we're madder than we’ve been in a long time. It takes less than ten minutes on social media for it to become clear that we've got a short fuse and we're not afraid to light it. Anger and Trust What's causing all this publicly shared ire? It used to be unacceptable to go to the scary rage place, particularly in front of colleagues or friends. So how do we stop it? Years ago, I was part of a norm-setting conversation with a group from the School Reform Initiative. "Assume positive intent. " I was drawn up a bit short by every single word in that statement. Foundational Assumptions I already knew that there was power in assumption, but I learned a lot about what happens when you insist on holding to positive intent, and I learned about how to get there.
Is it true? That changed everything. Dialogue Defibrillators: Jump-Start Classroom Discussions! During a 12th-grade English discussion years ago, I asked a question that nobody answered. Wanting students to do more heavy academic lifting, I decided to wait until someone spoke before saying another word. A minute crept by. The class fidgeted while I waited. Ninety tense seconds passed. Students' faces registered confusion and frustration at my brinkmanship. At the two-minute mark, I continued to wait. . . 8 Issues and Remedies We've all experienced whole-class discussions where students don't play along. 1. Sometimes students don't respond to a prompt because it's either too complex, ill-structured, or inaudible. To begin, I describe all the things I don't understand: Why do electrons change behaviors when they are observed? Nobody, I say, is expected to know everything. "Would you please. . . . . . state the question in a different way?
" If they comprehend the question, but their answer is tentative, I suggest that they say: "Let me answer the part that I know. " 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. Do No Harm: Flexible and Smart Grading Practices. My Edutopia post When Grading Harms Student Learning generated a lot of buzz. Grading is an emotional subject, with strong-held opinions and ideas. I was really excited to see discussion on all sides of the issue. The best feedback for me was that, while many readers agreed with parts of the premise, I hadn't been specific on support strategies. Thank you for that feedback -- it was specific, actionable, and created the need and excitement for a follow-up post. While there are many tools out there that help address concerns around redoes, zeroes, not grading homework, and more, here are some of my favorites: Address Behavioral Issues Affecting Academic Achievement Points off for late work may not motivate students.
Request to Retest This is a great way to put the student in the driver’s seat of what they'll redo and how they'll redo it. Redo Parts of an Assessment Some assessments that we give students have very clear categories. Reflect on Assessments Were you prepared for this test? The 50 Best Smartphone Apps For Teachers Arranged By Category. Mobile phones managed to mostly kick their classroom stigma once the iPhone, Android, Blackberry, and other PDA-cellular hybrids (also known as “smartphones,” but you knew that already) popped onto the scene. Thanks to the veritable Library of Alexandria of apps available on the respective markets, life can run that much smoother for professionals of all types.
And that, of course, includes teachers. We’ve discovered a seemingly endless collection of smartphone apps that teachers can put to work in the classroom and beyond, creating a powerhouse of back-to-school mobile tools. Read on to discover 50 of the best smartphone apps for teachers, and share any personal favorites we’ve missed in the comments. For the Classroom Smart Dot It’s an iDevice-based laser pointer that doubles as a remote control for PowerPoint and Keynote presentations — well worth it for slide-loving educators! Organization, Time Saving, and Productivity Professional Development and Training Reference Welcome Distractions. Is My School Ready? Strategies For Principals That Lead - Is My School Ready? Strategies For Principals That Lead by Jen Schwanke, Principal for Dublin City Schools For a principal, the a new school year brings anticipation, excitement—and—let’s admit it—an underlying feeling of trepidation.
I always look forward to this time of year, but with it comes the telltale butterflies in the stomach each time August rolls around. Whether you’re a veteran leader or just doing this for a first time, that feeling can leave you a bit unsettled. Reminding yourself of a few school-leadership basics will get you through that time of apprehension and ensure a successful start to your year. Here are some ideas to help guide you.
In the weeks leading up to the first day… Make sure your building looks ready. Communicate, communicate, and communicate some more. Have a broad reach. Empower and delegate. In the first few days…. Be available. Be positive. Show appreciation. Rest. And then… Enjoy the ride. Jen Schwanke is the author of You’re the Principal!