April 28, 2019

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Safety Aboard Public School Buses through "Special" Education

 

 

Statement of problem:

 

On March 12th, 2019, a young boy woke up terrified to get on his usual bus to school.  Up until this day, riding the school bus was one of his most positively reinforcing activities.  Due to the challenging nature of his disability, as well as other stressors occurring this same week, the source of is sudden and extreme aversion to the school bus was difficult to pinpoint.  Through conversations with his mom, as well as my own observations, including an effort to help him board his bus to school, it became increasingly clear that his aversion to the bus was not an aversion to all school buses, but to a very specific bus, with very specific supportive staff.  At this point, it was too late to view any video recordings from the week in question, and nobody on the school bus was willing to talk honestly about what might have happened.  The mother also reported that other children had stopped riding that bus around the same time, lending additional support to the occurrence of an aversive event around the same time this child became unwilling to step onboard the bus.  Additionally, this client was displaying virtually no maladaptive behaviors during his therapy in the prior two months, but since March 12th he has displayed a drastic increase in overall anxiety and is consistently reactive to demands that previously elicited no complaint.  He has also displayed seemingly spontaneous behavioral escalations with a clear motivation towards avoidance, when the source of his anxiety is unclear, all of which was not present, or was very rare in the months prior to this incident.

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This recent and still unclear incident with a client on a public school "special education" bus has highlighted the need for qualified, trained professionals, not aides or para-professionals, aboard school buses transporting kids with more challenging than typical behavioral and communication needs.  Where a higher degree (maybe even the highest within the field of education) of skill and qualification is required, instead public schools typically enlist the aide of anyone with a high school diploma and a clear background check to provide support to children whose social and communication skills are way behind that of their typically developing peers, while some have additional physical challenges and others have a history of trauma.  There is limited accountability as many of these children would be unable to communicate verbally if they experienced an aversive event aboard the bus.  Where true and qualified professionals are concerned, all incidents that result in escalated behavior are recorded and reported, as well as communicated with the parents or care providers daily.  Where school "professionals" are concerned, communication is rare, and in cases like this, non-existent, even when directly asked by the parent.  Documentation and data recording are also non-existent.  

 

Discussion of need for change:

 

The need for change seems self-evident, yet special education in many public schools has not seen significant changes in many decades.  Lack of resources is usually blamed, but what nobody talks about is the societal devaluing of children whose needs vary from the mainstream and whose communication barriers make it more difficult, sometimes impossible, for them to advocate for themselves.  What people also fail to discuss, is that it is not that difficult to find and adequately train people with the desire and capacity to provide qualified support to these children.  The system has been failing for decades, which is no excuse to keep on failing, yet that often seems to be the rationale for not changing, when the need for such change seems blindingly self-evident.

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Chapter five of the “Idaho Special Education Manual” discusses the right of all students, as part of a free appropriate public education (FAPE), to have access to their education, including transportation.  Under the section of managing behavior on the bus, it suggests that “proper training of bus drivers and paraprofessionals can help prevent misconduct” (2017).  Nowhere in this document, however, does it indicate what, if any training is provided, and the typical educational requirements for an “aide” or paraprofessional are a high school diploma and in some cases an AA degree or a passing score on the Idaho Praxis exam (Post Falls School District, 2019).  Nowhere is there any mention of training specific to special education or applied behavior analysis.

 

Proposed solutions:

 

Partnerships between schools and agencies that specialize in behavioral and functional intervention have the potential to provide the necessary supports without overburdening resources, by combining resources in a mutually beneficial way.  Not only can these private agencies provide training and support to school staff, but in the case of students with extreme needs, they can also provide personnel as needed.  The hiring and training of school staff working with children with disabilities could also be carried out in a joint manner to ensure individuals are hired who have the necessary capacity for this challenging work.  Agencies specializing in behavioral support and intervention could provide an ongoing resource for continued training, support, and evaluation.  They already have a vested interest in the children riding those buses, as many of those same kids already receive specialized services.  Well there are many caring individuals providing support to children with disabilities in the public school system, it only takes one stressed out, impatient individual to cause extreme trauma in a child already predisposed to being traumatized.

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 At a minimum, some coursework in Applied Behavior Analysis, as well as CPI training should be a standard requirement for anyone working with children with disabilities.  Routine evaluations should also be conducted to ensure staff continue to provide the level of service that these children deserve.  There should also be in place a system of documenting daily activity, where all challenging behaviors and interventions are recorded, whether mild or severe.  All of these processes are already standard practice at any credible agency providing Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) therapy, and any such agency would be willing to provide support and guidance to the public school system to help implement these procedures in a cost-effective way.  With modern technology and the support of highly qualified community specialists, public schools could easily move from antiquated methods of “special” education practice, to modern practice that ensures all students receive the safe, supportive educational experience all children are entitled to.

 

Supporting individuals or organizations:  

 

 

Syringa Family Partnership, LLC.:

 

A local agency providing high quality behavioral and functional intervention to children in the community with a wide range of developmental disabilities.  Syringa is dedicated to advocating for children and families whose voices are often not heard, with the goal of creating inclusive, supportive communities, where all have access to opportunities for success.

 

RethinkBH:

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An online platform that provides professional development, training in Applied Behavioral Analysis, and data collection software for professionals working with children with developmental disabilities.

 

Potential outcomes:

 

If changes aren't implemented, the safety and wellbeing of children onboard special education buses will continue to be in question, and sadly, many won't notice the difference.  However, just because a child's communication is not being understood, does not mean he or she is not communicating, and the inability of a child to communicate effectively does not invalidate his or her right to respect and fair treatment.  Parents rely on "professionals" for the safety, wellbeing, and education of their children, yet "professional" isn't the current and universal standard of practice.  If it were, I would already know what caused this particular child's sudden and severe aversion to riding the bus, because it would have been documented and reported, just as I do, working with this, and other children everyday.

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If changes like those above are implemented, then we will see a true revolution unfold, where all children begin to have equal access to a safe and high quality education, which includes their transportation to and from school.  Parents will be able to trust the professionals in charge of their child’s wellbeing to safely manage and report any concerning behaviors, without injurious consequences.  An atmosphere of full disclosure will assure the safety of all children and provide parents with the confidence they are sending there child safely to school.  Proper training and support will also provide school staff with the confidence to manage challenging behaviors, while minimizing stress to themselves and the children in their care.

 

References:

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Idaho State Department of Education (2017). Idaho Special Education Manual. Retrieved from: https://www.sde.idaho.gov/sped/files/shared/Idaho-Special-Education-Manual-2017-Accessible-version2.pdf

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Post Falls School District (2019). Retrieved from http://www.pfsd.com/Employment

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RethinkBH (2016). Retrieved from https://www.rethinkbehavioralhealth.com

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Syringa Family Partnership LLC. (2015). Retrieved from http://www.syringafp.com

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April 28, 2019

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Role-Play: Meeting Scenarios

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Decision Maker 1: Samuel Schmirdlap has been in the legislature for many years. He is currently the chair of the finance committee of the legislature. Widely considered ambitious, he has expressed a desire to trade up to a higher political office. His attention span is short; typically, he is not able to concentrate for more than 15 minutes on a particular issue. He is divorced and the father of three children who are being raised by his ex-wife. His interests include soccer and golf. He is active on Facebook.

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What type of research would you have done about the decision maker to your meeting? Are there other things not included in the descriptions that you would like to have known?

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The description above provides adequate information about this decision maker.  Likely it will be important to work closely with his “gatekeeper” in order to convey the depth of the issue being advocated for, as any direct interaction with him will need to be very brief and to the point, expressing clear financial relevance in a hurry, before he loses interest.

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How specifically would you use the background information to interact with the decision maker in your meeting?

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Any presentation will need to highlight the clear financial relevance of the issue in bullet point format.  Lots of pictures and graphics will be a waste of time, as will emotional stories and background information.  He is only going to be interested in the “why should I care” explanation, and that explanation will come down to dollars and a cost-benefit analysis.

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Gatekeeper 2: Mark Lin is a staff member for a powerful legislator and his right-hand man. He tells people that he knows the secrets of how to get to his boss and that people need to work with him. If you can play along with him, he’ll go through the process with you to get you to the decision maker. As part of the process, he wants to know enough about your issue to look good to his boss. He is ambitions and enjoys working with others. During his free time, he surfs and bicycles. He is in his early 30s and is single.

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What type of research would you have done about the decision maker or gatekeeper prior to your meeting? Are there other things not included in the descriptions that you would like to have known?

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The description provides adequate information to know that it will be important to present a convincing case to him first.  Putting in an effort to establish a relationship with this individual will likely be important, as he spends far more time with the decision maker than I can ever expect to gain.  How he presents my case will likely have a significant impact on the receptiveness of the decision maker during our meeting.

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How specifically would you use the background information to interact with the gatekeeper in your meeting?

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I would probably try to engage him through his personal interests, especially biking, as that could provide an opportunity for substantial interaction.  I would approach him in terms of seeking his input and guidance towards furthering my advocacy goal and approaching the decision maker in a way that would likely lead to a successful outcome.  If the gatekeeper becomes a co-advocate, there is a far greater chance my project will reach the decision maker in a successful way.

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General Meeting Considerations Based on Scenarios

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Based on your chosen Decision Maker and Gatekeeper, what other types of people would you choose to bring to your meeting? Be very specific.

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I would bring numbers and research experts with the highest and most credentials possible.  Credentials will be important, especially in gaining the attention of the decision maker, who isn’t going to be moved my emotional overtures and isn’t going to bother listening to anyone who isn’t highly credentialed in their field.  Ideally, these people would also have an interest in sports and leisure activities, or at least appear to be active, as those are both traits valued by the gatekeeper and decision maker in this case, but having an opinion worth hearing, in quantifiable terms, will be the most important.

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How would these people fit with your issue and building connections with the decision maker or gatekeeper? Be specific in naming who these persons are and the clear role they would play.

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In advocating for increased funding for children with developmental disabilities, the biggest obstacle to overcome is the perception that there will not be a return on investment.  It will be important to demonstrate that high quality early intervention services result in a significantly reduced reliance on government services, including Medicaid services, special education costs, department of justice expenses, as well as an increased level of academic and economic achievement.  Brining people who can speak to the research in those areas and quantify the relationship between initial cost and the longterm return, as well as the short term benefits of increasing the economic productivity of parents, will likely have the greatest impact.  A credentialed economist, a research specialist in the field of Applied Behavior Analysis, a pediatric specialist, and an educational research specialist would be able to provide a solid framework for this type of advocacy.

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April 21, 2019

​

Safety Aboard Public School Buses through "Special" Education

​

Statement of problem:

​

A recent and still unclear incident with a client on a public school "special education" bus has highlighted the need for qualified, trained professionals, not aides or "para"-professionals aboard school buses transporting kids with more challenging than typical behavioral and communication needs.  Where a higher degree (maybe even the highest within the field of education) of skill and qualification is required, instead public schools typically enlist the aide of anyone with a high school diploma and a clear background check to provide support to children whose social and communication skills are way behind that of their typically developing peers, while some have additional physical challenges and others have a history of trauma.  There is limited accountability as many of these children would be unable to communicate verbally if they experienced an aversive event aboard the bus and the video recording in this specific case is on a one week loop, but it look longer than that to isolate the source of a sudden change in behavior and specifically link it to riding the bus, due to the complicated nature of this particular child's behavioral pattern.  Where true and qualified professionals are concerned, all incidents that result in escalated behavior are recorded and reported, as well as communicated with the parents or care providers daily.  Where school "professionals" are concerned, communication is rare, and in cases like this, non-existent, even when directly asked by the parent.  Documentation and data recording are also non-existent.  

​

Discussion of need for change:

​

The need for change seems self-evident, yet special education in many public schools has not seen significant changes in many decades.  Lack of resources is usually blamed, but what nobody talks about is the societal devaluing of children whose needs vary from the mainstream and whose communication barriers make it more difficult, sometimes impossible, for them to advocate for themselves.  What people also fail to discuss, is that it is not that difficult to find and adequately train people with the desire and capacity to provide qualified support to these children.  The system has been failing for decades, which is no excuse to keep on failing, yet that often seems to be the rationale for not changing when the need for such change seems blindingly self-evident.

​

Proposed solutions:

​

Partnerships between schools and agencies that specialize in behavioral and functional intervention have the potential to provide the necessary supports without overburdening resources, by combining resources in a mutually beneficial way.  Not only can these private agencies provide training and support to school staff, but in the case of students with extreme needs, they can also provide personnel as needed.  The hiring and training of school staff working with children with disabilities could also be carried out in a joint manner to ensure individuals are hired who have the necessary capacity for this challenging work.  At a minimum, some coursework in Applied Behavior Analysis, as well as CPI training should be a standard requirement for anyone working with children with disabilities.  Routine evaluations should also be conducted to ensure staff continue to provide the level of service that these children deserve.  There should also be in place a system of documenting daily activity, where all challenging behaviors and interventions are recorded, whether mild or severe.

 

Supporting individuals or organizations:  

​

• Syringa Family Partnership, LLC.

​

Potential outcomes:

​

If changes aren't implemented, the safety and wellbeing of children onboard special education buses will continue to be in question, and sadly, many won't notice the difference.  However, just because a child's communication is not being understood, does not mean he or she is not communicating, and the inability of a child to communicate effectively does not invalidate his or her right to respect and fair treatment.  If changes like those above are implemented, then we will see a true revolution unfold, where all children begin to have equal access to a safe and high quality education, which includes their transportation to and from school.  Parents rely on "professionals" for the safety, wellbeing, and education of their children, yet "professional" isn't the current and universal standard of practice.  If it were, I would already know what caused this particular child's sudden and severe aversion to riding the bus, because it would have been documented and reported, just as I do working with this and other children everyday.

​

April 14, 2019

Advocacy Plan Outline

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The goal of this advocacy plan is to ensure safe and reliable transportation to and from school for children with disabilities, especially those with a history of trauma.  This begins with a very specific case and a very specific child, although others appear to be affected as well.  The objectives include determining specifically what happened to create a sudden and severe aversion to riding a very specific bus and why other students stopped riding this same bus around the same time.  Other objectives include determining what measures need to be taken to remedy this situation and prevent its recurrence.  Some activities have already begun, such as talking with the school to determine what accomodations can be made to work through this issue, which the school has been more than willing to provide, however, the school has made no effort, to my current knowledge, to determine the reason for this sudden issue.  This particular child's disability makes him an easy target to be "blamed" for his own behavior, even when that behavior is an effort to communicate what he lacks the words to express.  Another activity is to determine what other kids stopped riding this bus around the same time and why.  If the school recognizes that this isn't an isolated incident, they may be more willing to investigate it more thoroughly.  Until the reason for this child's sudden, and extreme, aversion to a previously reinforcing activity, is uncovered, it is very difficult to formulate further plans of action, as that will depend on exactly what it is we are confronting.  

 

This child has strong support from his therapy team and a mother determined to advocate on his behalf.  The school will be an important partner, as will the other parents of the children previously riding this bus.  Other potential partners may come into play if it is determined that legal action needs to be pursued or if the school fails to act in the child's best interest.  It is difficult to formulate a timeline, although there is a great deal of urgency, as the original incident occurred one month ago.  It took two to three weeks to fully realize there was an issue to be examined (eliminating the possibility for reviewing surveillance tapes onboard the bus), partially because there were other stressors for this child occurring around the same time.  Those, however, have dissipated, while this issue has continued to escalate.  Objectives will have been achieved when answers are discovered and solutions formulated.  This child's behavior will return to normal when the source of his heightened anxiety has been alleviated, and that alone will be an indicator of success.  I don't anticipate funding being a concern for this advocacy goal, as it is more an issue of uncovering information and ensuring corrective action is taken.  Finally, this project will have reached its goal when this, and all children, feel safe to once again ride the bus to school.

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April 7, 2019

Call to Child Advocacy

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I came to work with children with developmental disabilities after a series of personal tragedies upended my life.  I felt a strong need to find a way to help others discover hope in the midst of despair, light in midst of darkness.  I wanted...I needed to try and give to others what nobody was able to offer me, the belief, small though it may be, that everything might be okay, that there might be a way through.   Beyond that, I had no clue how to go about making that kind of difference.  It's not like I could just wake up, walk out the door, and change somebody's life.  I started by responding to a classified add for a job posting to provide behavioral support and intervention to children with developmental disabilities.  I was intrigued, but had no idea what to expect.  My only idea was that of the special education classrooms I remembered from my childhood education, but this was something different, something inspired, something hopeful.  I quickly found out I had a talent for helping children learn to self-regulate their emotions and learn new skills.  I also discovered these children had a talent for helping me rediscover my own hope.  Everyday I provide therapy to amazing children, and everyday, they provide that same therapy to me.  In a short period of time I have seen hope return to the eyes of parents because of the work I do, and there is a power in that, which is difficult to explain.

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Many of the kids I work with have a limited ability to communicate with words, which means having to interpret their behavior.  I work with one child in particular, who has a history of trauma, and recently started to refuse to ride the bus to school.  This had not been a problem until very suddenly.  We have also been working on another serious fear and so initially it seemed like he may have drawn a connection between that and riding the bus, since the bus also brought him to where we work.  It wasn't until I went to his home to help him get on the bus that I witnessed a series of events, combined with further discussion with his mother, that lead me to believe that something happened to him on that bus that caused his sudden and severe aversion.  Since then he has continued to display behaviors typical of having experienced recent trauma, behaviors that were not present in my therapy sessions with him until he stopped wanting to ride that very particular bus.  As of today, there is no way to prove or know for sure, but this child is trying to communicate something important.  He just doesn't have enough words to be more specific.  This child needs an advocate.  He needs a team of advocates.  There are many more like him, and that has a fire burning inside of me that can't be extinguished.

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My goal for advocacy is to provide a voice to this child and others who can't fully speak for themselves, as well as to their families who live everyday to see them find success.  I don't see advocacy as being a one-time experience for me, as there will always be another voice being silenced by those who think they can take advantage, by those who think that limited speech is the same as limited intelligence, by those who think that limited intelligence is the same as limited rights to respect and decency.  I don't think there are any limits to how far my passion for child advocacy will take me.  For now my thoughts are local, on the children right in front of me everyday, but a voice in my head reminds me there are others who need help, others who's voice is being silenced, and that stirs an anger inside of me that motivates me like very few experiences have in my life.  As I move forward I know I will face an uphill battle.  There will be those who insist I am creating fiction or seeing what I want to.  There will be those who insist that the spoken words of adults override the limited words of a child with a disability.  I know there is a lot I cannot control, but I will not ignore the terrorizing fear of a beautiful child who deserves better than to be ignored.  I don't yet know for sure what is causing his fear, but I know I can't stop until I do.  It is not hard to find the inspiration to push through the challenges of doubt and institutional push back.  All I have to do is witness both the joy and fear of this, and any other child, to remember what is worth fighting for.  Then there is the joy and fear of their families.  No, it is not hard to keep fighting.  I won't be alone in this, or any other fight I choose to carry forward, because I am surrounded by amazing people who share my passion for helping those who need just a little help to get up on their feet and make their voices heard.  I don't have to worry about burning out either, because every day these kids lift me up off the ground.  I am certain they do more for me than I can ever repay, but I will never stop trying.

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They deserve the best.  Their families deserve the best.  I don't know if that is me, but I stand up everyday and try to prove that it is.

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