Urban Special Education Administrators (CoP) / February 2017

Type: Open Committee

Focus Areas: Skilled Staff

Upcoming dates or events to share with general membership

Our community of practice would like to schedule another speaker on social justice.

Hot Topics

How do we hire and retain highly skilled staff?  Most districts indicate difficulty finding qualified ASD staff.  We are losing good staff for higher wages in other districts. However, once staff is in place, the district has to find ways to improve their skills.  Some districts are doing the following:

• peer presentations
• webinars
• curriculum team presents to service providers

African American males are still being suspended disproportionately. it was suggested that staff needs to:

• learn how to talk to AA males
• build relationships with students
• implement interventions with fidelity
• have training on social justice

Districts tend to act as though all students are treated equally, but that is not the case.  Students know when staff don’t care about them.