Moses Brown School: A Guide to Supporting Students with Learning Differences & Disabilities Philosophy and approach At Moses Brown, teachers strive to recognize the needs of every student and to support the fullest learning potential of all. Part and parcel of being a great teacher at MB involves teaching to the diverse array of learning styles present in any given classroom, which often includes differentiating the nature of instruction and facilitating students’ fullest expression of knowledge on assessments. This kind of inclusive teaching goes on at MB every day. We also understand that some students come to us with formal differences and learning disabilities that require an elevated level of attention. The following information is intended to serve as a set of general guidelines and practices – both for teachers and families – for seeking support and determining possible accommodations for students with significant or diagnosable learning differences. Since each child’s circumstances and needs are unique, these guidelines need to be interpreted and applied on a case by case basis. In all such cases MB seeks to foster open communication between home and school, and to build around each child a team of caring, knowledgeable people who can provide consistent support and feedback. Whenever a student presents with distinct learning challenges of any kind, MB’s response is based on an understanding both of its own responsibilities and of students’ rights under relevant state and federal laws (primarily the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, often referred to as Section 504; the Americans with Disabilities Act; and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act). As a religious organization that does not receive federal financial assistance, MB is not strictly bound by the requirements of these laws, but does view them, collectively, as a codification of best practices that the school seeks to uphold. In a case of documented Learning Disability, MB will provide reasonable accommodation, unless doing so would fundamentally alter the nature of the school’s programs or result in an undue burden. When concerns first arise All students have different learning styles and not surprisingly, most will struggle with different subjects at some point in their academic career. This is normal, and helping students grow through such routine challenges is part of what teachers and parents do every day. When teachers begin noticing that a child is experiencing an unusual level of difficulty, they typically share information with colleagues and discuss the student in an appropriate and confidential way, hoping to better understand his/her learning style and the kinds of teaching
strategies that might help. They might raise their concerns with the student’s Advisor, or consult directly with the School Psychologist. Such conversations allow teachers to address relatively minor concerns – e.g., under-developed study habits – in an informal and individual manner. It’s important for parents to understand that if the concerns are relatively minor, parents may not be informed at this early stage of intervention. If a child is not responding appropriately to teachers’ initial interventions and strategies, or if parents begin to develop concerns about a child’s academic progress, a more formal approach should be developed. This typically begins with a meeting of those who know the child well, e.g., parents, advisor, teacher(s), Division Head, Psychologist, Dean etc. In all cases, MB seeks to understand a student’s condition based on multiple sources of information. Group dialogue is the best way for all who are supporting a child to begin sharing information so as to better understand the problem and devise strategies to address it. At MB we use this sort of team-based approach because we believe that each adult has a unique perspective about a child, and only by pooling knowledge can we begin to understand the issues that a particular student may be facing. The Advisor (from here forward used to also refer to the Classroom Teacher for Lower School students) serves as the “manager” of this initial process, gathering and disseminating information from other teachers/classes and communicating actively with parents. For Middle School and Upper School students, Advisors will often discuss concerns directly with students, in age-appropriate ways, and include them in discussions about possible intervention and strategies. Such intervention and strategies can take different forms, depending on the age of the child. In the Lower School, two full-time specialists in Math and Reading provide consultation to teachers and parents when a student begins to show signs of difficulty. They provide small group instruction for students needing reinforcement and practice within a smaller setting, and help coordinate more intensive responses as needed, e.g. one-on-one tutoring, or referral for educational testing. In the Middle School, students receive learning support directly from their teachers or advisors by meeting individually or in small groups during study halls and after school. The Middle School program focuses explicitly on helping students develop Executive Functioning, i.e., skills related to organization, time management, prioritizing, planning projects, and studying effectively. A small-group course is provided for 6th grade students who may not acquire these skills easily or quickly within the regular classroom setting. In addition to meeting with individual teachers and advisors as needed, Upper School students also have access to the Learning Center in the Walter-Jones Library, where extra support in the major academic disciplines is available on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday afternoons.
Investigating the presence of Learning Disability If difficulties persist even after coordinated collaboration and intervention, the school will help families investigate the possible presence of a diagnosable Learning Disability. This process is managed by the School Psychologist, who guides families toward appropriate professional support, consultation and possible evaluation, and then oversees interpretation and implementation of results at MB. Students and families at Moses Brown are eligible to pursue Special Education evaluation and services offered by their home school district. The school district where the student resides is required to conduct a full and appropriate evaluation of learning and needs, free of charge to the family, so long as there is sufficient evidence to suggest an evaluation is warranted (which is determined by the District Special Education team, which includes the parent and input from MB). If evaluation results determine that Special Education services are warranted, the home district will outline these services and may provide them directly to the student or contract with the Providence School Department (because Moses Brown is located within this district) for oncampus supports to be provided during the school day. Please see the School Psychologist for more information. What is a Psychoeducational or Neuropsychological evaluation? Fully understanding the academic needs of students and developing strategies to accommodate them in appropriate ways can often require a formal evaluation of students’ mental (cognitive) and processing abilities. These evaluations are conducted by psychologists and neuropsychologists and can be called “psychological,” “psychoeducational” or “neuropsychological” evaluations – the name varies based on the particular tests given and the licensure of the evaluator. These evaluations consist of a battery of individual tests that explore several factors relevant to learning: intellectual potential, memory, verbal/language abilities, visual/spatial abilities, mental processing speed, attentional processes, and (if an “educational” component is included) academic skills such as basic reading and decoding, reading fluency, reading comprehension, math calculation, math reasoning and problem solving, and written expression skills. Besides providing detailed information about cognitive strengths and weaknesses that may not be readily apparent even to experienced parents and teachers, formal evaluations can help clarify the presence of a diagnosable condition (e.g., a Specific Learning Disability, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) and provide recommendations for maximizing a student’s learning potential. What is a Learning Disability? According to the most-widely accepted definition (federal, state, educational, legal and medical), the term “disability” refers to physical or mental impairments that substantially limit one or more major life activities (functions such as caring for one’s self, performing manual tasks, walking, seeing, hearing, speaking, breathing, learning, working, concentrating, thinking,
communicating). Learning Disability refers to significant skill impairment that substantially limits some part of academic functioning (such as learning, reading, writing, thinking, or speaking). Moses Brown seeks to provide reasonable accommodation for all students with diagnosed Learning Disabilities, unless doing so would fundamentally alter the nature of the school’s programs or result in an undue burden. Diagnosing a Learning Disability and determining formal accommodations When a formal evaluation (e.g., psychoeducational, neuropsychological, speech/language, occupational therapy, or psychiatric) has been conducted, the family should submit the full report to the School Psychologist or the Assistant to the Division Head. Considered confidential, such reports are kept in a separate file within each Division Head’s office, separate from other school records, and a copy is kept in the Psychologist’s office. Any report submitted to the school must be shared in its entirety so that the support team can fully understand the student’s needs and gauge the appropriateness of proposed supportive action. Moses Brown will not consider or implement learning accommodations absent the context provided by a full evaluation. It is important for families to understand that formal evaluation constitutes just one source of information in determining a student’s needs. The results of evaluations are rarely crystal clear, and often require interpretation by a qualified professional who can place them within the context of other available information. At Moses Brown, we consider the observations and recommendations of parents, teachers, advisor, Psychologist, and others who know a child well, and when appropriate, the child him/herself, to be equally valid to formal evaluative data, and we believe that the best plan of action takes all of these perspectives into account. What this means at a practical level is that Moses Brown will not automatically or necessarily implement all the recommendations of a neuropsychological evaluation. Instead, decisions about such accommodations are made by the School Psychologist based on all available sources of information. Ultimately, the responsibility and authority for determining appropriate accommodations lies with Moses Brown School. Once formal accommodations have been approved by the school, information is disseminated to those working to support the student. The School Psychologist will draft a concise summary of all information deemed relevant, including testing results and input from teachers, that lists the agreed upon strategies and accommodations. This summary, called an Individual Support Plan (ISP), is placed in the student’s file and shared with parents, teachers, advisor, coaches (if deemed appropriate) and division head. When appropriate, the School Psychologist will also meet with the student to discuss his/her understanding of the results and ways in which support may be necessary in school. It has been our experience that students who understand their own special learning needs and become advocates for themselves have the most success in managing the impact of their Learning Disability.
Supportive documentation outlining the presence of a disability and need for formal accommodations needs to be updated/renewed about every three years. Under ordinary circumstances, ISP’s should be reviewed periodically, along with whether or not students are using their accommodations. If students are not using their accommodations consistently over the course of a full school year, they may be considered no longer in need of those accommodations and may be subject to removal from the approved accommodation list. Note: New students enrolling at Moses Brown sometimes bring with them formal evaluations and support plans that were in place at a previous school. Relatedly, families sometimes undertake formal evaluation prior to beginning the consultation process with MB. In such cases, families are encouraged to share testing results with the school when available. The School Psychologist will then create an ISP that is considered temporary until MB’s team-based process of observation, intervention and evaluation can take place to ensure the appropriateness of accommodations specific to the environment at MB. Examples of accommodations In the case of a documented Learning Disability, MB strives to provide accommodations in a manner that is consistent and fair. The goal of accommodation is to limit the negative impact of specific skill deficits on students’ ability to perform to their potential (not enhance performance or provide students with an unfair advantage). While each child presents unique needs and circumstances, the following are examples of accommodations typically provided at Moses Brown to support learning disabilities: -Extended time on assessments -Preferential seating in the classroom -Separate seating for assessments -Use of a word processor to complete written exams -Allowance for graphic organizers, checklists, etc. to aid written output -Large print texts -Copies of a fellow student’s or the teacher’s notes (except when the skill of note taking is an explicit emphasis of the lesson/unit) -Ability to record class lessons (with permission) -Reduced quantity for practice-type homework Waiver of the World Language Requirement Moses Brown’s graduation requirement in World Languages is three consecutive years of study in a single language. A waiver to MB’s three-year graduation requirement will be considered only in the case of a documented learning disability/difference that is consistent with classroom and performance evaluation by school personnel. A language waiver must be specifically recommended within a formal evaluation by a trained professional, subject to the approval of the School Psychologist and Chair of the World Languages Department. All students must complete
at least one year of language study before a waiver will be considered. Taking a course for Pass/Fail credit (if deemed an appropriate accommodation) after completing the first graded year signifies the terminal class in the World Language course of study. The role of families Students with learning difficulties are most successful when there is a positive and consistent partnership between home and school. Thus, Moses Brown very much welcomes and expects the direct involvement of families in supporting their child’s academic progress, and in four specific ways: 1.
Identifying and clarifying challenges: As noted above, family involvement is important when gathering information about a student’s difficulties and devising potential solutions. After pursuing formal evaluation, families are asked to share results with school staff and contribute additional observations from life at home. Combined with what teachers share from the school day, this data helps develop a comprehensive context for considering a student’s needs. Family members also help the child understand his/her learning differences and how to ask for help when needed.
2.
Planning Supports: Family members play a critical role as consultants with school staff when concerns first arise or a formal evaluation has been completed. Family members can share personality characteristics, temperament, work styles, values, and goals of their children to help the team determine what strategies will be most effective. Families also help determine the feasibility of interventions based on logistics of time, resources, and other factors unique to their situation.
3.
Providing Interventions: Many interventions will need to be provided across the various settings where a student learns—beginning at school, of course, but also extending to the home where a student applies new skills (e.g., through homework) and masters new knowledge (e.g., studying for assessments). True skill growth means that skills are generalizable—it would be a disservice to students if they simply learn how to “act the part” in school but do not reinforce skill development through consistent practice and application at home. Parents can play an important role in this process, and MB staff are committed to providing mentorship and training so that parents can support their child’s learning from home. For example, this might include helping a child with problem-solving, self-advocacy and communication with teachers. Parents often will be called upon to reinforce the application of newly learned skills through direct coaching, modeling, and setting of behavioral expectations that motivate best efforts (e.g., consequences for lack of follow-through and task completion).
4.
Monitoring Progress: MB is committed to working with families to monitor each child’s progress and assess the efficacy of accommodations. Family members will need to actively evaluate their child’s use of effective habits and skills, and regularly share feedback with school staff about what is and is not working. In the event that
interventions prove ineffective after a period of consistent application, a referral to professional learning specialists for more intensive evaluation may be necessary. Transitioning from grade to grade, division to division As stated above, most educational evaluations are considered valid and reliable for a period of about three years, and MB reserves the right to request an update of formal evaluations on that schedule. Requests for accommodations will be considered invalid unless supported by up-todate testing and classroom data. All ISP’s are reviewed by the School Psychologist periodically. They are distributed at the start of each school year to a student’s teachers, advisor, coaches (if deemed appropriate) and division head. As students transition from one grade to another, and from one division to another, MB is committed to a smooth and orderly communication about ISP’s. Parents can help in this process by checking in with school personnel at the beginning of each school year. Teachers are responsible for knowing who is approved for accommodations, reviewing support plans and providing accommodations accordingly. A list of all students receiving educational accommodations at MB is shared with all teachers in the division (and coaches, if deemed appropriate) in order to ensure consistent implementation of support services. Educational psychology testing reports are kept by the School Psychologist for a period of four (4) years past graduation or withdrawal/dismissal date. The transition to college Students and families beginning the college search process will need to consider the extent to which a diagnosed Learning Disability should be considered in the choice of educational institution. If a student’s condition is likely to impact the chances for admission, or of success in a given academic environment, families are strongly encouraged to share as much information as possible with MB’s College Counselors, so that they can guide the family appropriately and help the student make an informed decision. Moses Brown does not share information about evaluation, diagnosed disability or accommodations with institutions of higher education without the express consent of families (including the student if s/he is 18 or older). Relatedly, whether a student received accommodations when taking standardized testing is not documented in score reports sent to colleges/universities. Accommodations on standardized tests (P/SAT’s, ACT’s) The P/SAT and ACT tests, widely required for college admissions, have very specific and rather rigid requirements that must be met before students are granted accommodations for testing. These requirements include: 1. Needs must be documented by an appropriate, licensed professional. 2. The evaluation that determines these needs must be current (within the last 3 years).
3.
4.
Evaluations must include: a. Use of acceptable, well-normed and validated test measures b. Clear functional impairment c. A legitimate and formal diagnosis d. Recommendations to remedy the impairment (e.g., separate setting for testing, breaks during assessment, or extended time on tests, which is the most common) Confirmation from the school that such accommodations have been necessary and consistently utilized within the school setting over at least four months.
Absence of any of these criteria will likely result in denial of a request for accommodation on standardized tests. Unfortunately, given the proliferation of psychoeducational evaluation in recent years, testing organizations often question the validity of evaluations conducted in the Junior and Senior year, and may deny accommodations even when the need seems clear. For this reason, we encourage families who suspect that their child may have a Learning Disability to consider evaluation by a trained professional as early as possible. The process of applying for accommodations on the College Board tests (P/SAT) and the ACT is managed by the School Psychologist together with the College Counseling staff. Each testing agency has its own process. To initiate this process, parents should seek guidance from the College Counseling Office Coordinator (who monitors all applications and tracks approvals both “in-house� at Moses Brown and from testing organizations). No application will be made to the testing organizations without the request of the family and assent of the student. Generally, this means that families should request this support from the College Counseling office or School Psychologist at least 12 weeks before the planned standardized testing date.