Time to "lawyer up" and hold The school accountable to the law!

Oyster is not unique in having budgetary and personnel restraints. Many schools have such restraints and still manage to follow the law with respect to special needs students. By the way - has it occurred to anyone that Spanish-speaking/Bilungual families may have special needs kids and therefore they want a bilingual education program, as well as a program that does what is legally required for their kids? They shod be able to get this if they are enrolled at Oyster.

Are teachers responsive to parents in these matters?

Anonymous wrote:Is the problem (way special Ed kids are treated) because of the administration or particular teachers?

The parents that I have spoken with mainly have a problem with a specific teacher (who is not returning to Oyster). Their issue with Oyster's admin./DCPS is that the admins. are unable (unwilling, according to the parents) to keep the promises that the last principal made (i.e., to make Oyster into a model bilingual inclusion school--without the funding to back this up). Many non-special needs parents believe that the former principal made unrealistic promises and then bailed--leaving the new principal holding the bag. I really empathize with the parents of special needs kids, but I'm still not convinced that Oyster (with its current/foreseeable) budgetary and personnel constraints is the best environment for children with the most severe cognitive disabilities (i.e., children with disabilities that render them unable to speak (any language) and interact with others).

Is the problem (way special Ed kids are treated) because of the administration or particular teachers?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Confusing indeed. New Principal for the 2014-2015 school year and she is continuing for the upcoming 2015-2016 school year.

Yes, the new principal is returning to Oyster and I'm very pleased about that fact. I don't know much about the special needs issues, but she seems to be working very hard to improve Oyster's already very good academics. Per the letter in the welcome packet, Oyster's students are meeting and exceeding math and reading benchmarks. For example, by the end of the last academic year, 88% of our K-5 students met their reading benchmarks. I'm also excited to see that she piloted a program where a group of 8th graders at Oyster took the AP Spanish test, and 75% passed! One 8th grader even earned a 5--the highest score possible. I hope the program is expanded this year to include all 8th graders, and that going forward, all graduating students have to take the AP test. I expect Principal Canizales to continue to raise the academic bar at Oyster.

+100. We are equally enthused.

Anonymous wrote:I have heard how the school has treated special needs students and it is unethical, disgusting and illegal. The law requires that special needs students be educated in the least restrictive environment. Oyster seems to think that because they "focus" on Bilungual education, they do not need to follow the law and DCPS appears to be fine with this. You can not put a student in a self-contained room just because you do not feel like dealing with them in a general education room. Fortunately, education pedagogy and the law have evolved. I do not know how anyone can continue to think this is a great school when it has treated special needs students as second-class citizens, at best. I hope the parents of these students have been able to find a better place for their kids and that DCPS was made to pay.

The school has been wonderful for my children. However, I'm sorry you've had such a horrible experience at Oyster. I hope that your special needs child(ren) finds a better environment for his needs. Perspective is indeed based on where you sit.

I have heard how the school has treated special needs students and it is unethical, disgusting and illegal. The law requires that special needs students be educated in the least restrictive environment. Oyster seems to think that because they "focus" on Bilungual education, they do not need to follow the law and DCPS appears to be fine with this. You can not put a student in a self-contained room just because you do not feel like dealing with them in a general education room. Fortunately, education pedagogy and the law have evolved. I do not know how anyone can continue to think this is a great school when it has treated special needs students as second-class citizens, at best. I hope the parents of these students have been able to find a better place for their kids and that DCPS was made to pay.

75% out of how many students?