In the past few years, Berkeley Heights Public Schools has been making an effort to be more inclusive of special education students. Perhaps the largest decision in the efforts that have been made was the move to the Collaborative Consultative Model. In fall of 2020, graduates of Columbia Middle School who attended Governor Livingston were all moved into this model. The results were a mixed bag.
On the one hand, our District is being hailed (and is pushing itself) as a beacon to follow for other schools in their path to inclusion, and we have received accolades for efforts in that regard. Many parents have been, and are, pleased with having their students grouped with peers in the general education classroom. For others, this model has not been as successful or rewarding.
The Collaborative Consultative Model places all students except those needing the most support in a general education classroom with a special education teacher present for half the class. The ideal is for the general education teacher and the special education teacher to collaborate on the approach to teaching in order to be able to differentiate the instruction so it meets the needs of all students enrolled in the class. There has been a LOT written on this subject, by both educators and education experts. There is some disagreement about the potential for success. In reading dozens of articles over the past three years, I’ll summarize a couple of the concerns educators have and the related issues this model presents.
True collaboration is hard, and it has been noted that one of the biggest hurdles to overcome is the relationship between the two teachers. Special education teachers are generally viewed as the experts for students needing support. The general education teacher is seen as having the greater responsibility for the outcomes of the students in the class. While some teachers are able to work together to figure out a way to merge their expertise, in studies, teachers (both general and special educators) reported difficulties in reaching equality in collaboration.
Differentiation is hard. Teachers report that even with a special education teacher in the room, and ideally helping direct instructional content, some students are not being given enough differentiation to meet their individual needs. In the words of one teacher, “It is impossible for me to meet the needs of every student within this model.” For students with IEPs and 504s, there can be additional challenges when accommodations require changes, such as extended time, quiet spaces, and various manipulatives. At times, the physical characteristics of a full general education classroom contribute to the difficulties. This also ties into students’ perceptions, which I’ve written about before. As students get older – as is the case for our kids at the high school – it becomes more and more important to them to ‘fit in’, and in reading one or two articles, students are more inclined to shun teacher help when it comes from the special education teacher.
Given all this, it is interesting to see the steps our District is taking to ensure students of all abilities receive a good education. Some are not new; some are fairly recent, and some have just started. Whether it’s WIN (What I Need) sessions for our youngest students, or the new EMStA (English and Math Strategies) program at GL, what stands out about each, to me, is that these steps involve small groups; groups that are separated from general education. This could be the best of both worlds – inclusion and separation balanced. It’s also encouraging to see that these small group opportunities are happening within the school day. However, this also points to the reality that sometimes efforts to include can be the opposite of what students need to reach their best academic potential.
I would encourage parents of special education students to stay very involved and don’t be afraid to be vocal. There are supports for parents and (as much as I dislike this term) safe areas for concerns to be talked about. We have an experienced and empathetic Special Education Director who I believe is open to hearing what is and isn’t working for students. There’s reason to believe we’re making great strides to reach the best balance for our students, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t more that can be done.