Copyright 1999 The Seattle Times Company
The
Seattle Times
March 08, 1999, Monday Final Edition
SECTION: LOCAL NEWS; Pg. B3; EDUCATION Q&A
LENGTH: 556 words
HEADLINE:
DISCIPLINING DISABLED STUDENTS IS ONGOING SUBJECT OF DISCUSSION
BODY:
Q: Why are there two sets of guidelines and
consequences when it comes to student discipline: one for regular-education
students, another for special-education students? - M.D., Bellevue
A: That's a question that has sparked a long-running debate among
policy-makers and bureaucrats trying to finalize rules for how the federal
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act will address
discipline.
Basically, the issue is this: How do you ensure a safe
school environment for all and yet not punish a child for having a disability
that might cause or contribute to unsafe behavior? And is it fair to have a
double standard for discipline?
If the behavior is a manifestation of
the disability, school administrators have followed a different set of rules in
dealing with special-education students, said Doug Gill, director of special
education for the state Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction.
Schools treat all students the same for the first 10 days of a suspension.
But if the incident involves a special-education student and requires
anything more than a 10-day suspension, the school must determine whether the
behavior was part of the student's disability, Gill said.
If the answer
is yes, administrators create a plan with specific steps for how to address the
behavior in the student's individualized education program.
Gill said
schools have been waiting for 2 1/2 years to see final rules and regulations
from the U.S. Department of Education that are expected to further define
disciplinary policies for special-education students.
Those rules may
come out by next month, but they have been delayed numerous times.
Q: How do I get certified to teach in Washington
state? I'm now certified in other states.
- J.S., Bellevue
A: You'll need to undergo a background check and fingerprinting through the
Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) and fill out paperwork
required by that office.
But if you have a baccalaureate degree from an
accredited institution with an approved teacher-education program, you'll likely
have no trouble getting your initial certificate to teach in Washington.
This state has reciprocity with most other states that makes your course
work there transferable to Washington, said Lillian Cady of the OSPI.
For more information, contact the OSPI's professional education and
certification office: 360-753-6773.
Education Q & A is a regular Monday feature in The Seattle Times
prepared by Times education reporters. Call in your questions to our Education
Hotline at 206-464-3339, or write to Education Q & A, c/o The Seattle Times,
P.O. Box 70, Seattle, WA 98111; fax to Education Q & A at 206-464-2261; or
e-mail to schools@seatimes.com
School guide
The new edition of The Seattle Times Guide to Schools is now available.
The 197-page book covers 217 public and private high schools, middle schools and
junior highs in the greater Seattle area. The guide includes information on
everything from test scores to sports programs and curriculum highlights.
Free copies of the guide are available while supplies last at all
Bartell Drugs, which helped underwrite the book's printing.
An online
version of the guide can be found at this Web address
seattletimes.com/schoolguide
LOAD-DATE: March 9, 1999
