Know Your Child’s Educational Rights in the Englewood Public Schools

EQUITY & EXCELLENCE IN ENGLEWOOD PUBLIC SCHOOLS·

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2017

Dr. Dierdre G. Paul

What is the difference between an IEP and a 504?

Navigating the education system can be challenging for all parents, but it is even more so for parents/caregivers of children with special needs. 

One of my campaign promises is to make the process easier for you by providing regular informational pieces, tips, and links. 

I will never forget that my primary role as a duly elected Board of Education member is to serve and assist you in providing your child with a high-quality, excellent public school education in the Englewood Public School District.

An IEP (Individualized Educational Plan) is, generally, for those students who have been evaluated by the Child Study Team and classified. 504s are usually provided for students who have not undergone the evaluation process but still struggle (academically) in school.

Parents of children with both, IEPs and 504s, must consent to their children’s educational evaluation by the school district. 

A student with an IEP can receive an independent educational evaluation by an outside expert of your choice, paid for by the district and at no cost to you, the parent. Further, the district doesn’t have to agree to pay beforehand.

If a significant change is made to either, your child’s IEP or 504, you are entitled to written notice prior to the enactment of the change.

IEPs must be evaluated each year and the student must be reevaluated every three (3) years. While it isn’t mandated that a 504 be evaluated each year, it is a commonly held expectation that they should follow the same pattern of evaluation set for IEPs. Thus, parents should expect that 504s are annually evaluated and the student is reevaluated every 3 years.

www.understood.org/en/school-learning/special-services/504-plan/the-difference-between-ieps-and-504-plans

Paid for by Dierdre G. Paul, Services Provided by Rightway Project, LLC

(Freely copied from Dr. Paul's Facebook status Update.)

Politicians, Stop Throwing Our Children Under The Bus

This is what happens when politicians interfere in the workings of the Public Schools. You know who you are. Politicians and those who keep you in office, who have been meddling with no experience in education or know how since the sixties, should stand down. The downturn in the District came with you. So stop it.

It is time to let the professionals do the jobs they were hired to do. Those of us who have been watching since the late 1960s know that you have high expectations for some and NO EXPECTATIONS for others. The un-certified staff and all the rest fall on your shoulders. You Politicians created the GAP that has made a focus school of our high school. Your "Outsource" tactics have added to the crippling of the District.

Have a retreat. Give the Superintendent some viable goals and objectives for the School District, making student achievement of all students priority. Stop stacking the deck like the Trumpish Mayor has done with the Democratic Municipal Committee. Leave the Superintendent alone and let him succeed or fail. Stop being Trumpish Huttles, both of you. If he does not achieve the goals, then let him go. Your con man minion should stand down in his attempts to run the District. In the last 15 years, he and his buds have run it into the ground. You know it. We know it.

This is also what happens when School Board Members operate as an employment agency for friends and relatives. When School Board Members have been in control for nearly 15 years and run the schools, the blame rests on them and the ones who put them in place and keep them there. They and you are the ones responsible. It is all part of the dumbing down of the District. Our children can learn, but it seems that you can't.

When few have faith that ALL children can learn, strange and sometimes illegal shit goes on to make the District look good. Englewood is suffering from a serious identity crisis. (Teach the children in front of you and stop favoring the ones you import into our failing school system.) This is embarrassing in so many ways. It is also infuriating, because the real culprits are sitting pretty without a single blemish. The Board of Education is not innocent in this. They and the Politicians who pretend they take no part and are autonomous are the Custodians of failure. How many of their children are sitting in Saturday classes? Supporters of the Board leaders are not innocent in this. You know who you are and it is time to back the F off of our Public School district. Any child who has not done what is required should be retained. Any child... Any adult responsible should be dismissed. It is as simple as that ...

And how are the children?.....The headline says it........Stop throwing our children under the bus!
http://www.nj.com/…/…/nj_high_school_screwed_up_and_now_home

Are Public Schools Across the US in Crisis?

House Bill 610 has been introduced.
This bill will effectively start the school voucher system to be used by children grades K-12 and starts the defunding process of public schools.

In addition the bill will eliminate the Elementary and Education Act of 1965, which is the nation's educational law and provides equal opportunity in education.

ESSA is a comprehensive program that covers programs for struggling learners,

AP classes,

ESL classes,

classes for minorities such as Native Americans,

Rural Education,

Education for the Homeless,

School Safety (Gun-Free schools),

Monitoring and Compliance and Federal Accountability Programs.

The Bill also abolishes the Nutritional Act of 2012 (No Hungry Kids Act) which provides nutritional standards in school breakfast and lunch. For our most vulnerable, this may be the ONLY nutritious food they have in a day.

The bill has no wording whatsoever protecting special needs kids, no mention of IDEA and FAPE.

Some things ESSA does for Children with Disabilities
-Ensures access to the general education curriculum.
-Ensures access to accommodations on assessments.
-Ensures concepts of Universal Design for Learning
-Includes provisions that require local education agencies to provide evidence-based
interventions in schools with consistently underperforming subgroups.
-Requires states in Title I plans to address how they will improve conditions for learning, including reducing incidents of bullying and harassment in schools, overuse of discipline practices and reduce the use of adverse behavioral interventions (such as restraints and seclusion).

Please call your representative and ask him/her to vote NO on House Bill 610 (HR 610) introduced by three Republican reps.

PLEASE copy and paste, don't just share. That limits it to friends we have in common. Thank you.

The Candidate Speaks

Just in case  you missed the Candidate's forum sponsored by the League of Women Voters  Wednesday, November 2, 2016

Presented here are the Opening and Closing Statements of EPSD School Board Candidate Bill Feinstein....I was impressed

Good evening, I would like to thank the League of Women Voters for hosting this debate and for all of you for coming out tonight.

William (Bill) Feinstein 

I was raised in Englewood and proud alumni of the Englewood Public Schools.  I am running for the Englewood School Board so that we may continue the positive direction that our district has been moving and to ensure EVERY child is receiving the BEST well rounded education possible.

Over the last year the district has introduced a number of positive initiatives. 

• The implementation of new technology, including Genesis which provides direct access for parents and students to get up to date educational data including homework assignments, lesson plans and grades. 
• The district has established Partnerships with local colleges & universities giving our students the opportunity to earn up to 30 college credits by the time they graduate Dwight Morrow High School. 
• The curriculum has been revamped, providing consistency and a smooth transition from one grade to the other and the soon to be introduced APP called the Footsteps2brillance that will be available early next year and free for every city resident to help parents give their children a head start before even entering school.
• There have also been policies implemented to provide more checks and balances related to financial controls, resulting in over a million dollars in savings to the district. 
• Test scores have always been and must continue to be a focus.  During last month’s Board of Education meeting the superintendent presented the results of the 2015-2016 PARCC. While the scores are still not where they need to be, the district is showing positive signs with year over year improvement.   We must continue to evaluate our current programs to ensure each is providing the required and necessary results.  

As a board member and policy maker my number one priority will be to ensure we are Providing EVERY child with the BEST education to prepare them for success.    

While doing that, we must also balance the interests of all stakeholders including, Our Students & Parents, our Teachers & Administrators and The Englewood Taxpayer.  I look forward to your questions and to discuss the future of the Englewood Public Schools.

Thank You.

Closing Statement

Devry Pazant, Bill Feinstein, Jeff  Carter

Again, thank you to the league for sponsoring this event, I’d like to thank my fellow candidates and thank the audience for attending and your questions tonight.
On Tuesday November 8th, the voters of Englewood will need to make a very important decision. Who will the next three school board trustees be?

If you believe we must continue in the positive direction we have seen over the last year? Your only choice is Pazant , Carter, Feinstein.

If you support a strong Englewood Public School system that includes operating with integrity, accountability and transparency?
Your only choice is Pazant, Carter, Feinstein.

If you believe that school board members must be properly trained and attend all training required under the law?
Your only choice is Pazant, Carter, Feinstein.

If you believe that ALL kids’ education matters? 

Your only choice is Pazant, Carter, Feinstein.

As you enter the voting booth, ask yourself this question. If you have a winning horse in the race, would you choose to change jockeys? If your answer is no
Then Your only choice on November 8th is Pazant, Carter, Feinstein.

I respectfully ask for your vote to support myself, Mr. Pazant and Mr. Carter.
Ballot positions 3,4,5 on Tuesday November 8th.
Thank you

All Mothers Matter, But All Mothers Do Not Know Best!

All Mothers Matter,
but
All Mothers do not always know best......

Did you forget that you pushed for Outsourcing?

Did you conveniently forget that over 109 people lost
their jobs, 32 of whom had promises of employment signed
by the Superintendent and the Board of Education?

Did you even check the addresses of houses where
you left off your blue and white signs paid for by the same
people who financed "Outsourcing"?

Does it bother you at all that you are leaving signs in the yards
of people that you got fired?

You are asking the same families that your actions tore apart to put "you" on the Board of Education.

At least 2 of the "Mothers who know best" worked very hard getting the Secretaries and Paraprofessionals fired.

I was told to my face that, "the secretaries and Paraprofessionals are a group of unmarried women with children who have the nerve to be in a Union." That quote was uttered by one of your sponsors.

I was right there watching you with my camera and videotape.

Englewood Residents. how much more "Outsourcing" can this District swallow?

Do you have your questions ready for meet the Candidates?

Vote like you remember .............