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Children in foster care and their erroneous placement in special education settings.

By: Tanya Gonzalez

Bread and Roses High School

Introduction:

Your task is to research the connection between students in the foster care system and their placement in special education classes. You are required to watch the movie “It’s Kind of a Funny Story”. In this movie a teenager is admitted into a mental institution after he becomes overwhelmed with school work and other demands. It turns out that all he needed was a different school. After watching the movie, your focus should be on answering the following question - How can we prevent wrong educational placement for children who are experiencing emotional hardship?

Task:

You have been asked to research the increasing issue of students under the foster care system and their frequent placement in special education settings across all grades at Bread and Roses High School. Your main job is to produce a presentation where you explore the importance of the above mentioned issue. Keep in mind that your findings will be presented to the school principal and staff members. You may also include your own suggestions.

Process:

You most first develop a plan of how you will present your research. Discuss your strategy for conducting your research. Decide who you want to interview, where you will obtain information, create a list of the steps you need to take, and follow the PPA (Public Policy Analyst) formula. You are going to work in groups of four. You are to create a five page paper and a power point presentation. In this web quest you will have the opportunity to become a public policy analyst. Your job is to research the relationship between students who are under the foster care system and way in which the educational system is conducting evaluations and placing them in special education settings. Your finding will be presented to the staff at Bread and Roses High School in order to discuss possible solution to this issue. This research could help the staff create the necessary academic and emotional support that will foster a better learning environment for students. Good Luck on your project!

1. Define and describe the problem: http://www.idonline.org

2. Gather the evidence: https://www.maxwell.syr.edu/plegal/tips/worksheet2.doc

3. Identify the causes of the problem: https://www.maxwell.syr.edu/plegal/tips/worksheet3.doc

4. Describe and evaluate existing policies: https://www.maxwell.syr.edu/plegal/tips/worksheet4.doc

5. Develop several policy solutions: https://www.maxwell.syr.edu/plegal/tips/worksheet5.doc

6. Select the best policy: https://www.maxwell.syr.edu/plegal/tips/worksheet6.doc

Resources:

Evaluation (Rubric):

CATEGORY	4	3	2	1	Score
Concept	Team has a clear picture of what they are trying to achieve. Each member can describe what they are trying to do and generally how his/her work will contribute to the final product.	Team has a fairly clear picture of what they are trying to achieve. Each member can describe what they are trying to do overall but has trouble describing how his/her work will contribute to the final product.	Team has brainstormed their concept, but no clear focus has emerged for the team. Team members may describe the goals/final product differently.	Team has spent little effort on brainstorming and refining a concept. Team members are unclear on the goals and how their contributions will help them reach the goal.
Research	Power point indicate that group members developed questions about the assigned topic, consulted at least 3 reference sources, developed a position based on their sources, and cited them.	Note cards indicate that the group members consulted at least 3 reference sources, developed a position based on their sources, and cited them.	Note cards indicate that the group members consulted at least 2 reference sources, developed a position based on their sources, and cited them.	There are fewer than two note cards or sources are incorrectly cited.
Teamwork	Students meet and discuss regularly. They all contribute to the discussion and all are listened respectfully. All team members contribute a fair share of the work.	Students meet and discuss regularly. Most students contribute to the discussion and are listened to respectfully. All contribute a fair share of the work.	A couple of team meetings are held. Most students contribute to the discussion and are listened to respectfully. All team members contribute a fair share of the work.	Meetings are not held AND/OR some team members do not contribute a fair share of the work.

Standards:

English Language Arts standards

E3 - SPEAKING, LISTENING AND VIEWING

E3b. - participate in one to one conferences with a teacher.

E3c. - participate and deliver an individual presentation.

E4 - CONVENTIONS, GRAMMAR, AND USAGE OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE

E4a. - Independently and habitually demonstrate an understanding of the rules of the English language in written and oral work.

E4b. - Analyze and subsequently revise work to improve its clarity and effectiveness: Language for Social Interaction

Conclusion:

The public policy analysis that that you have researched as well as the information that you have gathered is of vital importance to the understanding the need for reform on this issue. Your conclusion is very valuable for the improvement of our current educational evaluation methods. Too many students in foster care situations are being labeled as having one or more disability.