|
Special education personnel file
complaint against NISD
by Jennifer Vose, Daily
Sentinel, November 27, 2002
For more articles visit
www.bridges4kids.org
and www.educationnews.org.
Although Nacogdoches ISD administrators have not yet had the
opportunity to see a complaint filed against the district with
the Texas Education Agency by NISD special education
personnel, they said there have already been some changes made
to ensure the program remains compliant with state law, and
plans have been made for improvement in other areas.
Nacogdoches ISD Superintendent Dr. Tony Riehl said, "We work
all the time to improve things within the district. We get
advice from TEA, and we are in constant contact with them."
Dr. Claudia Knowles, manager of the TEA's complaint division,
confirmed that TEA has received a complaint against the
district filed by personnel within the district. She said NISD
administrators will soon be receiving notification of that
complaint.
Knowles said after NISD is notified of the complaint, a
committee will be formed to review any issues in the letter
which were related to special education services. Within a
60-day period after that investigation, NISD will receive a
letter of findings from TEA notifying them of the results of
that investigation.
Riehl said he is disappointed that the professional staff
within the special education program would choose to ignore
the district and state policy regarding complaints.
"There are policies that govern the procedure by which
employees can make a complaint," Riehl said. "These employees
did not go through the board, and did not follow local and
state policies, in filing their grievance. No official
complaint has been filed with NISD."
Knowles said her department doesn't take into consideration
whether or not people who file a complaint have first gone
through the appropriate local channels.
"Anyone may file a complaint at any time," she said.
The Daily Sentinel has filed an open records request with the
TEA in an effort to obtain a copy of the complaint.
NISD board president Randy Johnson and Riehl said they were
aware that some employees had complaints with the district. A
letter was sent to Riehl and all board members, Johnson said,
and the matter was discussed in an executive session at last
Thursday's meeting.
Johnson said he believes the administration is taking all
steps possible to resolve the complaints that he was made
aware of through that letter.
"I feel like administration is aware of the situation," he
said. "They know, or they have been made aware, of the
complaints and unhappiness of some of the teachers, and it has
been fully investigated by the administration."
Johnson said because no formal complaint has been brought to
the board, he doesn't feel there's anything else the board can
do at this time for those personnel who chose to file the
complaint with TEA.
"It is unfortunate that this situation has gone so far. I feel
like, and I think it is the unanimous consent of the board,
that the administration is handling the situation, and the
board will not micro-manage the school district," Johnson
said.
Riehl said the district has been working to change some
compliance issues which were addressed following last year's
District Effectiveness and Compliance visit by TEA.
"We have addressed some issues immediately, and continue to
work on future plans," Riehl said.
Giving special education students more opportunities in
regular classrooms was one of the concerns addressed by TEA in
that visit, Riehl said. The school has approached that concern
by providing facilities which allow more interaction between
special education students and those in regular classrooms.
In order to bring the district into compliance, a portable
building housing special education classes was moved from
Carpenter Elementary to Brooks-Quinn-Jones Early Childhood
Learning Center so that students would have more opportunity
to mingle with children in their age group, Riehl said.
He said the district will also be making modifications at the
high school. The Ninth Grade Center, now in the planning
stages, will include facilities for life skills training, so
that special education students will have more opportunity to
have a place in regular classrooms.
Riehl said another issue that was brought up following the DEC
visit was the over-identification of students for special
education programs.
Riehl said following the district effectiveness and compliance
visit, representatives from TEA talked with administrators
about what areas might not be completely compliant with state
regulations.
"Leadership in the special education program has been working
to remedy those situations, and some have already been taken
care of," Riehl said.
Despite minor concerns, Riehl said the overall result of the
DEC visit was positive, and he believes TEA has confidence in
the ability of the district's special education program.
"Basically, we got a good report from TEA when they were in
here at the end of last school year," Riehl said. "The DEC
team had free access to all of our files and our personnel at
that time."
Riehl said the district has submitted its plans for
improvement to the TEA.
"We had to submit our plans to the state, all districts do
following DEC visits if there are any concerns," he said. "I
feel like we are moving into compliance with every issue."
Riehl said in spite of the complaint, which he has not yet had
the opportunity to read, he is certain the special education
program in Nacogdoches ISD is working both to meet student
needs and to stay in compliance with state standards. He is
also supportive of the program's leadership, he said.
"I want it to be known that after investigating this
situation, I, the administration and the school board have
full confidence in our special education executive director
Debbie Walker," Riehl said. "I support her 100 percent."
|
