WEBQUEST

 

LOW GRADUATION RATES

OF SPECIAL EDUCATION STUDENTS

CONTINUE TO PLAGUE

THE NYC DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

 

By Ruth Stevens

John F. Kennedy High School

Bronx, New York

 

 

 

INTRODUCTION:

 

You are a parent of a student who several years before entering high school was classified by the New York City Department of Education as a Special Education student.  Now that your child is about to enter high school, you are becoming increasingly concerned that he is being set up for failure, given the alarmingly low graduation rate of this class of students from Bronx high schools.  You have tried everything in your power to get your son out of the Special Education track, but Department of Education officials have turned a deaf ear to your complaints.

 

Because of your situation, you have decided to become an activist on behalf of all Bronx Special Education students.  You want something done about the Special Education program in New York City, perhaps scrapping it altogether or getting it funded adequately to meet the needs of children like your own.  You will research the problem of Special Education in New York City (especially the low graduation rate and poor academic performance of the city's Special Ed students), examine the existing public policy on Special Education, and develop an original public policy solution to this problem.  You will present your case to the authorities in the New York State Department of Education, who are responsible for funding the New York City public school system.

 

TASK:

 

You will use the websites provided below as well as the TIPS six-step Public Policy Analyst to research the problem of Special Education graduation rates in the New York City public schools.  You will arrange your research regarding the problem, existing solutions, and original solutions in the form of a persuasive speech.  You will give your speech in front of New York State Education officials in an effort to inform them of the magnitude of the problem and persuade them to adopt your original public policy solutions.  The speech should be typewritten, at least 2 pages in length, and your oral presentation should be 3-5 minutes in length.  You should be prepared to answer questions from the panel following your speech.

 

PROCESS:

 

I.      Use the TIPS six-step Public Policy Analyst (and summarize your research and ideas on the accompanying worksheets) to do the following:

 

        1.      Define the Problem (Worksheet 1)

        2.     Gather Evidence of the Problem (Worksheet 2)

        3.     Determine the Causes of the Problem (Worksheet 3)

        4.     Examine Existing Public Policy (Worksheet 4)

        5.     Develop Original Public Policy Solutions (Worksheet 5)

        6.     Choose the Best Public Policy Solution (Worksheet 6)

 

II.    Use the websites provided below to help you find information relevant to your research.

 

III.  Prepare your speech from the information you have gathered and then summarized on Worksheets 1-6.

 

IV.    Working in groups of 2-3, practice your speech in front of your peers, improve it by listening to their constructive criticism, and do the same for your peers' speeches.

 

V.     Extra Credit: Prepare a visual (e.g., oak tag chart, 1-3 PowerPoint slides) that will reinforce your argument during your presentation.

 

RESOURCES:

 

Use the following Websites to help you in your research:

 

NYC Worst Graduation Rates (NY Times)

Graduation Rates NYC (NY Daily News)

Graduation Rates outside New York

Graduation Rates Small High Schools NYC

Academic Progress for NYC Special Ed Students

Drop in Graduation Rates for Kids with Disabilities in NYC

http://www.nycenet.edu/daa/schoolreports/02asr/272475.pdf?(annual school report card - NYC)

Increase in High School Dropout Rate NYC

New York Daily News May 12, 2004: "Special ed's neglected," article by Kathleen Lucadamo (attached)

New York State Education Department Comprehensive Educational Plan (CEP) for John F. Kennedy High School (not an online source)

 

EVALUATION:

 

 

RESEARCH PAPER RUBICS

 

POINT VALUE

3

2

1

Heading

 

 

 

Definition

Writes the problem thoroughly.

Good definition of the problem

Writes the problem poorly.  

Problem

Thoroughly explains why there is a problem.

Good explanation of why there is a problem.

 Poor explanation of why there is a problem.

Gathering evidence

Gathers evidence from 5 internet sites.

Gathers evidence from 3 or 4 internet sites.

Gathers evidence from 2 or less internet sites.

Explains evidence

 Thoroughly explains why the evidence is related to the problem

Good explanation. Understands how most of the evidence is related to the problem.

Poor explanation. Understands why some of the evidence is related to the problem.

Identifies causes

Identifies all causes

Identifies most causes

Identifies some causes

Explains causes

Explains how each cause is related to the problem

Explains how most causes are related to the problem

Explains how some causes are related to the problem

Identifies solutions    

Identifies all solutions

Identifies most solutions

Identifies some solutions

Explanation of solutions

Explains how each solution will solve the problem.

Explains how most of the solutions will solve the problem.

Explains how some of the solutions will solve the problem.

Paper

4-6 page were written. Each section was titled. There was excellent use of English

4-6 pages were written. Each section was titled. There was good use of English

Less than 4 pages were written. Sections were not titled. There was poor use of English

Questions

Writes two questions for each of the following steps in the public policy analyst format: evidence, causes, evaluation, and solution, that will help determine if students understand what is being presented.

Writes two questions for 3 of the following steps in the public policy analyst format: evidence, causes, evaluation, and solution, that will help determine if students understand what is being presented.

Writes two questions for 2 of the following steps in the public policy analyst format: evidence, causes, evaluation, and solution, that will help determine if students understand what is being presented.

Visual Aids

Imports three visual aids from the internet such as pictures, charts or graphs.

Imports two visual aids from the internet such as pictures, charts or graphs.

Imports one visual aid from the internet such as pictures, charts or graphs.

 

Explanation of points

 

A-36-34 points

B-33-30 points

C-29-26 points

 

ORAL PRESENTATION RUBICS

 

POINT VALUE

3

2

1

Heading

 

 

 

Problem

Thoroughly explains why there is a problem.

Good explanation of the problem.

 Explains the problem poorly.

Gathering evidence

Gathers evidence from 5 internet sites

Gathers evidence from 3 or 4 internet sites

Gathers evidence from 2 or less internet sites

Explains evidence

 Thoroughly explains why the evidence is related to the problem

Good explanation. Understands how most of the evidence is related to the problem.

Poor explanation. Understands why some of the evidence is related to the problem.

Identifies causes

Identifies all causes

Identifies most causes

Identifies some causes

Explains causes

Explains how each cause is related to the problem.

Explains how most causes are related to the problem.

Explains how some causes are related to the problem.

Identifies solutions

Identifies all solutions

Identifies most solutions

Identifies some solutions

Explanation of solutions

Explains how each solution will solve the problem.

Explains how most of the solutions will solve the problem.

Explains how some of the solutions will solve the problem.

Presentation

Visual aids

Uses two visual aids such as pictures to help in their presentation. Asks at least two questions about the pictures or visual aids to show how they are related to the report.

Uses one visual aid such as pictures to help in their presentation. Asks at least two questions about the pictures or visual aids to show how they are related to the report.

Uses visual aids such as pictures to help in their presentation. Doesn’t ask at least two questions about the pictures or visual aids to show how they are related to the report.

Discussion

 of Questions related to Public Policy Steps

Discusses two questions for each of the following steps in the public policy analyst format: evidence, causes, evaluation, and solution that will help determine if students understand what is being presented.

Discusses two questions for three of the following steps in the public policy analyst format: evidence, causes, evaluation, and solution that will help determine if students understand what is being presented.

Discusses two questions for one or two of the following steps in the public policy analyst format: evidence, causes, evaluation, and solution, that will help determine if students understand what is being presented.

 

Explanation of points

 

A-30 28 points

B-27-24 points

C-23-20 points

 

 

NEW YORK STATE LEANING STANDARDS

http://www.nysatl.nysed.gov/standards.html

 

English Standard 1

 

Students will read, write, listen, and speak for information and understanding.

As listeners and readers, students will collect data, facts, and ideas, discover relationships, concepts, and generalizations; and use knowledge generated from oral, written, and electronically produced texts. As speakers and writers, they will use oral and written language to acquire, interpret, apply, and transmit information

Social Studies Standard 5: Civics, Citizenship, and Government

  Students will use a variety of intellectual skills to demonstrate their understanding of the necessity for establishing governments; the governmental system of the United States and other nations; the United States Constitution; the basic civic values of American constitutional democracy; and the roles, rights, and responsibilities of citizenship, including avenues of participation.

CONCLUSION:

 

You are now an expert on the problem of low graduation rates for Special Education students in the New York City public school system.  You have researched the problem thoroughly, gathered evidence to prove it exists, and determined its causes.  You have examined existing public policies regarding Special Education graduation rates, and you have developed your own original public policies in an effort to address and solve the problem.

 

Having become an expert on the problem, you are now ready to take the next step: you will work to identify the resources in your community, city, and state to begin alleviating this inequity.