Do all APS lower elem classes have Sped teachers?

[Anonymous]

Does APS cluster their kids by ability/perceived ability? Went to BTS night tonight and was surprised to hear his 2nd grade teacher has 3 “helpers” 2 of which are special ed teachers. I don’t remember this from my older child, it it seems unlikely the school has enough special ed teachers for 2-3 in each classroom.i’m wondering if this is standard or if he is somehow being tracked into a high needs classroom. We have no reason to think my son is neurodivergent or have academic concerns, but he is chatty, which can get him off task. My concern is that at a different elementary his older sibling’s teacher apparently had a lot of 504/IEP kids and it made her useless bc she was disorganized and constantly in meetings. But I don’t recall multiple SpEd assistants.

[Anonymous]

No, but they do cluster SPED and EL students to make delivering services easier. In my experience as a parent and staff the SPED and gifted clusters are often together but sometimes SPED and EL can be clustered together too (or students belong to both groups)

[Anonymous]

They do also cluster kids tagged for advanced academics (used to be called gifted and talented). Those clusters should have at least 12 kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No, but they do cluster SPED and EL students to make delivering services easier. In my experience as a parent and staff the SPED and gifted clusters are often together but sometimes SPED and EL can be clustered together too (or students belong to both groups)

My child is tagged as advanced/gifted and has usually been in the class with the co teaching model. I’m guessing it’s easier for teachers to combine those students with the SPED students (and I’m sure there are some who overlap). Benefits are that they rarely need a sub, get a lower teacher-to-student ratio (this is great when there is a large class—my child’s grade is big but but not big enough to add another class, so class size is usually close to the max allowed), etc.

[Anonymous]

Yes they cluster the SPED kids and the class gets an aide. It doesn’t mean your kid is SPED.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No, but they do cluster SPED and EL students to make delivering services easier. In my experience as a parent and staff the SPED and gifted clusters are often together but sometimes SPED and EL can be clustered together too (or students belong to both groups)

My child is tagged as advanced/gifted and has usually been in the class with the co teaching model. I’m guessing it’s easier for teachers to combine those students with the SPED students (and I’m sure there are some who overlap). Benefits are that they rarely need a sub, get a lower teacher-to-student ratio (this is great when there is a large class—my child’s grade is big but but not big enough to add another class, so class size is usually close to the max allowed), etc.

You shouldn't assume those students aren't equally gifted. I have one of those. My kid helped teach class who math and history in middle and high school. The teachers relied upon my kid with disabilities to help. He's a talented teacher even though he's a student like everyone else. The mother of the girl he helped the most is one of the most vile humans I've ever met and complained openly at our back to school night about the sped kids being in her kids class. You sound like her pp.

God people suck.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No, but they do cluster SPED and EL students to make delivering services easier. In my experience as a parent and staff the SPED and gifted clusters are often together but sometimes SPED and EL can be clustered together too (or students belong to both groups)

My child is tagged as advanced/gifted and has usually been in the class with the co teaching model. I’m guessing it’s easier for teachers to combine those students with the SPED students (and I’m sure there are some who overlap). Benefits are that they rarely need a sub, get a lower teacher-to-student ratio (this is great when there is a large class—my child’s grade is big but but not big enough to add another class, so class size is usually close to the max allowed), etc.

You shouldn't assume those students aren't equally gifted. I have one of those. My kid helped teach class who math and history in middle and high school. The teachers relied upon my kid with disabilities to help. He's a talented teacher even though he's a student like everyone else. The mother of the girl he helped the most is one of the most vile humans I've ever met and complained openly at our back to school night about the sped kids being in her kids class. You sound like her pp.

God people suck.

I’m glad your son is so successful. The reality is that more many children being in a SPED cluster classroom can be really disruptive.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No, but they do cluster SPED and EL students to make delivering services easier. In my experience as a parent and staff the SPED and gifted clusters are often together but sometimes SPED and EL can be clustered together too (or students belong to both groups)

My child is tagged as advanced/gifted and has usually been in the class with the co teaching model. I’m guessing it’s easier for teachers to combine those students with the SPED students (and I’m sure there are some who overlap). Benefits are that they rarely need a sub, get a lower teacher-to-student ratio (this is great when there is a large class—my child’s grade is big but but not big enough to add another class, so class size is usually close to the max allowed), etc.

You shouldn't assume those students aren't equally gifted. I have one of those. My kid helped teach class who math and history in middle and high school. The teachers relied upon my kid with disabilities to help. He's a talented teacher even though he's a student like everyone else. The mother of the girl he helped the most is one of the most vile humans I've ever met and complained openly at our back to school night about the sped kids being in her kids class. You sound like her pp.

God people suck.

Yup, my kid has an IEP and is also gifted. I'm betting he's much smarter than OP's kid. He helps other kids all the time, especially with math.

Your kid won't suffer from being with kids with IEPs, OP. He will probably benefit.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No, but they do cluster SPED and EL students to make delivering services easier. In my experience as a parent and staff the SPED and gifted clusters are often together but sometimes SPED and EL can be clustered together too (or students belong to both groups)

My child is tagged as advanced/gifted and has usually been in the class with the co teaching model. I’m guessing it’s easier for teachers to combine those students with the SPED students (and I’m sure there are some who overlap). Benefits are that they rarely need a sub, get a lower teacher-to-student ratio (this is great when there is a large class—my child’s grade is big but but not big enough to add another class, so class size is usually close to the max allowed), etc.

You shouldn't assume those students aren't equally gifted. I have one of those. My kid helped teach class who math and history in middle and high school. The teachers relied upon my kid with disabilities to help. He's a talented teacher even though he's a student like everyone else. The mother of the girl he helped the most is one of the most vile humans I've ever met and complained openly at our back to school night about the sped kids being in her kids class. You sound like her pp.

God people suck.

I’m glad your son is so successful. The reality is that more many children being in a SPED cluster classroom can be really disruptive.

so can kids who are not in a sped cluster. and they can also be quite mean to the sped kids. wonder where that comes from.

[Anonymous]

My kid is also 2E (gifted & has an IEP). She’s in MS now, and they offer co-taught classes that are also intensified for kids like this. It won’t hurt your kids to be around Sped kids 🙄, and having an extra adult in the room usually benefits all students.