Inclusion is the norm at Freeport. It came about because of the principal's determination to include all students, it was introduced slowly because of teachers' initial reluctance. One of the observers was amazed by what she saw in an inclusion class:

After class, I learned that of the 18 students in class on this day, three are special education students. Also, one of the students who answered all the questions correctly in class flunked the TAAS last year, one was just back from an alternative school, one lives with her grandmother because her mother is in jail for drug dealing, and one lives in a youth home. I was able to identify only one of these students as being "special," one of the special education students. Actually, about one-third of the students in this class would be considered "at risk" of academic failure in another setting.

The six-person special education staff at Freeport includes three teachers and three full-time aides. The principal traded a teacher position for two aides in order to facilitate full inclusion of SPED students. The aides do everything the teachers do, with the exception of teaching actual classes.

When Ms. Sale-Davis broached the subject of full inclusion, teachers were reluctant and ambivalent. On one hand, they did not think they could deal with inclusion without extra in-class support; on the other, many were reluctant to have a second person in the classroom. Ms. Sale-Davis piloted the inclusion model with the science teachers, who were the most receptive to the idea. Their positive responses convinced other teachers that inclusion was not only a good thing, but that the extra person in the classroom made their lives easier. Through a grant, every teacher then received inclusion training, which paved the way for schoolwide implementation.

The SPED staff surveyed teachers to find out who had the greatest number of SPED students in their classes and then drew up a complex Resource/Content Mastery Inclusion Master Schedule, which assigned aides or teachers to those rooms for core subjects. Each aide/teacher carries a notebook containing the day's work for every class and various modifications. For instance, a teacher may modify the work by highlighting the most important information in an assignment. Or, she may provide handouts of the information that is on overheads for those students who cannot transfer information from the overhead to their papers.

In SEARCH of Excellence

The state of Texas mandates and audits a gifted and talented (G&T) program in all schools at all grade levels. This requirement is a philosophical challenge for Freeport, which dedicates itself to creating equal educational opportunities for all students. The G&T program is called SEARCH, and there is one SEARCH team at each grade level. The students on SEARCH teams have been grouped together since elementary school. In general, the SEARCH team covers more material, moves through it at a faster pace than the other teams at that grade level.

State law requires that all SEARCH classes be taught by G&T certified teachers. The principal found a way to comply with the state mandate while offering an enriched curriculum to many more students. First, she worked to get all teachers G&T certified. Second, she instituted classes for non-SEARCH students who have the motivation and commitment to take more advanced classes.

Social Equity - NEXT

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