Clustering of special Ed kids in gen Ed

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:At our school they seem to put all the special Ed kids in one Gen Ed class. It’s not fair to the other regular kids who get placed in with that group. The class is usually poorly behaved and the teacher is overwhelmed. This is called clustering and I thought this practice was outdated and frowned upon. Why are elementary schools clustering special Ed kids now in one class instead of spreading them out among 3 different Gen Ed classes? Can parents request for their child not to be put in the special Ed class?

This is my first year working in a school (fcps elementary school). If it makes you feel better, behaviors are an effing nightmare across the board, not just the “iep” kids.

[Anonymous]

Where I worked they put kids who should have IEPs, but didn't in those classes. Often those with IEPs were not the issue because the parents were not in denial and they got the right help. I remember one irate mom who came in the complain about how the SN kids were upsetting her child. We had to explain to her that her child had some learning challenges, but also some major social issues. He was projecting his own issues onto others and what he complained about and blamed others for to her were really issues we saw in him. She eventually got over her attitude and got him help thank goodness.

[Anonymous]

As for how principals decide, I have no answer to you

At our ES, one SN child was asking that my son be in his class. A compliment I know, but that meant my son was with her son and the other SN students year and yea. It wasn't random. The SN's parents were allowed "a say". I was not and didn't know this was happening until years later.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:At our school they seem to put all the special Ed kids in one Gen Ed class. It’s not fair to the other regular kids who get placed in with that group. The class is usually poorly behaved and the teacher is overwhelmed. This is called clustering and I thought this practice was outdated and frowned upon. Why are elementary schools clustering special Ed kids now in one class instead of spreading them out among 3 different Gen Ed classes? Can parents request for their child not to be put in the special Ed class?

This is my first year working in a school (fcps elementary school). If it makes you feel better, behaviors are an effing nightmare across the board, not just the “iep” kids.

+1 … very true, but this thread is about sped clustering. I believe most parents here (including myself) have no problem whatsoever with sped students and their integration, but with the way clustering is done at some and maybe many FCPS schools. When adequate support is provided, everyone benefits. But this starts with FCPS funding, creativity and transparency of principals and quality of teachers (although honestly teachers seem to be the least of the issues in the entire mess). Parents of non-sped students are rightfully upset, because the way things are set up, if placed in sped classroom, their kids don’t get the same quality of learning environment and instruction. This is not the fault of sped students, but FCPS issue.

[Anonymous]

I worked at a school that did this one year. The reason was that the admin had some teachers who she hated and wanted them to leave. They would look at academic "records" and then put those with the lowest grades into 1 class.

As far as the on grade level kids who got put in there - it was random. They just randomly threw some names in to make up the numbers. And no, they didn't get an aide or any extra help.

As someone who grew up poor and went to public school all my life, I often wonder why people pay for private schools when they can go to public for free. Until I became a teacher, then I saw why.

[Anonymous]

My son has an IEP, and there definitely was clustering in his Gen-Ed class. My estimate is 1/3 of his class. I still remember how shocked one parent was when he found out his kid was in a class with several kids with IEPs. My son may have inattentive ADHD, but he is also a top student, and many parents don’t know that my son has special needs. There is a whole range in his class of the IEPs, and honestly, I am trying to find a way to get my son out of Special Ed because some of the kids have severe behavioral issues and should not be in a Gen Ed classroom. It affects the entire class.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My son has an IEP, and there definitely was clustering in his Gen-Ed class. My estimate is 1/3 of his class. I still remember how shocked one parent was when he found out his kid was in a class with several kids with IEPs. My son may have inattentive ADHD, but he is also a top student, and many parents don’t know that my son has special needs. There is a whole range in his class of the IEPs, and honestly, I am trying to find a way to get my son out of Special Ed because some of the kids have severe behavioral issues and should not be in a Gen Ed classroom. It affects the entire class.

Getting out is SPED is easy. Call a meeting and end the IEP. They may disagree with you and he will lose support, but that’s how you get out of SPED.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:At our school they seem to put all the special Ed kids in one Gen Ed class. It’s not fair to the other regular kids who get placed in with that group. The class is usually poorly behaved and the teacher is overwhelmed. This is called clustering and I thought this practice was outdated and frowned upon. Why are elementary schools clustering special Ed kids now in one class instead of spreading them out among 3 different Gen Ed classes? Can parents request for their child not to be put in the special Ed class?

This is my first year working in a school (fcps elementary school). If it makes you feel better, behaviors are an effing nightmare across the board, not just the “iep” kids.

+1 … very true, but this thread is about sped clustering. I believe most parents here (including myself) have no problem whatsoever with sped students and their integration, but with the way clustering is done at some and maybe many FCPS schools. When adequate support is provided, everyone benefits. But this starts with FCPS funding, creativity and transparency of principals and quality of teachers (although honestly teachers seem to be the least of the issues in the entire mess). Parents of non-sped students are rightfully upset, because the way things are set up, if placed in sped classroom, their kids don’t get the same quality of learning environment and instruction. This is not the fault of sped students, but FCPS issue.

Until they hire significantly more SPED teachers (beyond what is already posted online), clustering will continue to happen.

[Anonymous]

There would be no need for clustering if they would just have separate classes for sled like they used to. It’s just sad. Neither Gen Ed kids or sped kids are actually getting what they need to succeed when they are placed together.

[Anonymous]

Its public school and a shitty one. If you don't like it, pay for private.

[Anonymous]

Students with IEPs are together so that when a SpEd teacher is in the room that count as the required hours according to what is a on a lot of the IEPs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Funny, the only kids I have had to request my kid be separated from were nasty Gen Ed kids.

The kids who acted up in my kids school from elementary to high school were a handful of sports jerks who were taught by their wealthy parents that they were going to be sports stars and have brilliant careers. They intentionally interrupted their classes and kids would actually complain about being stuck with them in a class. Thank the heavens they avoided ap classes.

My kid has disabilities and was always in the "cluster". He only had one child who was disruptive but he and the other kids knew her for years and were very sympathetic to her.

A parent filed a state complaint because at our large elementary, they clusted almost all the kids with ieps in one class. There were 7 classes or so per grade and for 2 years our kids were stuck together in one class. They can't do that. There are laws against it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They do it our school as well. Admission says it is “easier” for special Ed to teachers to plug in

This, we had to fight to get our kid out.

Happened to us too. It was not until our otherwise happy and easy going DS started to refuse to go to school. Then we started to learn about horrific discipline issues and teacher’s inability to control the classroom or provide sufficient attention to kids with no problems. It took us several months to pull him out. No problems in the new classroom. Principals, how do you decide which kids who have no problems are ok to just throw in the mix? I would have never agreed to have our DS placed in this classroom. This is unfair set-up all around.

You should be happy that class helped bring your child's challenges to light or else you might not have known.

I am the first poster, and it was not a happy situation. My child's needs got completely ignored because they focused on the higher needs kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There would be no need for clustering if they would just have separate classes for sled like they used to. It’s just sad. Neither Gen Ed kids or sped kids are actually getting what they need to succeed when they are placed together.

You are ignorant and wrong Grandma.. Thank God the people who developed IDEA knew there would be too many people like you who would diminish the education of children who learn differently just to benefit your own child.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My son has an IEP, and there definitely was clustering in his Gen-Ed class. My estimate is 1/3 of his class. I still remember how shocked one parent was when he found out his kid was in a class with several kids with IEPs. My son may have inattentive ADHD, but he is also a top student, and many parents don’t know that my son has special needs. There is a whole range in his class of the IEPs, and honestly, I am trying to find a way to get my son out of Special Ed because some of the kids have severe behavioral issues and should not be in a Gen Ed classroom. It affects the entire class.

Getting out is SPED is easy. Call a meeting and end the IEP. They may disagree with you and he will lose support, but that’s how you get out of SPED.

We had to stop the IEP but we were forced to finish out the year in the room. Kids should not have to go without help to not be physically assaulted or be in a class with lesser academics because they have an IEP.