The Arc of North Carolina's Education
Initiative
January 2009
All children in North Carolina public schools are supposed
to be taught the skills they will need to become productive adult citizens. The
guiding mission of the North Carolina State Board of Education is that "every
public school student will graduate from high school, globally competitive for
work and postsecondary education and prepared for life in the 21st Century."
This mission is supposed to include students with disabilities. The Arc believes
that ALL children should exit school with:
-
Community
living skills that maximize capabilities for independent living
-
Opportunities
for post-secondary education
-
Marketable job
skills
-
Leisure and
recreational interests
-
Self-advocacy
skills
In NC, The Arc believes that students with intellectual
and developmental disabilities are not receiving the public education
preparation that they need in order to lead successful lives in their
communities. Too many students are finishing high school without community
living and vocational skills. They finish high school, move to a group home and
go to work in a sheltered workshop or they continue to live in their parents'
homes and often face empty days and social isolation.
It is time that NC public school students with
disabilities exit high school prepared to assume socially valued roles in their
communities. They should be ready to become neighbors, co-workers, classmates,
club members, volunteers and friends.
The Arc will travel across the state and host listening
sessions with parents, educators, administrators and other interested people to
try to answer the question: Why aren’t kids with disabilities prepared for adult
life?
Please take a moment and complete a survey. You can fill
out the survey electronically, save it and attach it to an e-mail to
lguzman@arcnc.org or print it out and
mail it. (address is on the survey)
Family/Student Survey
Teacher/Administrator/Other Survey
The
Arc of NC Wants to Know.....
Why
aren't our kids leaving school ready for adult life?
Kids with disabilities
should have the tools they need to lead full, adult lives in their communities:
marketable job skills, post-secondary educational opportunities, community
living skills, recreational pursuits, and leisure interests.
The Arc of North Carolina
as part of it's education initiative is holding many forums across the state in
order to develop a comprehensive state-level plan to advocate for
improved educational outcomes for students with disabilities. What legislation
and policies can change outcomes?
What’s working? What’s not?
What needs to change in public education so kids leave school ready to lead full
lives in the community?
The Arc of North Carolina
is holding many forums across the state in order to develop a comprehensive
state-level plan to advocate for improved educational outcomes
for students with disabilities. This forum will not address individual student, school or district
issues but rather will focus on the “big picture”; what needs to change
throughout the entire state?
The Arc wants to hear from YOU:
parents, teachers, principals, transition coordinators, case managers,
community college instructors, and developmental disability service providers
Scheduled Public
Forums
Date and County
November 18- Johnston
December 4-Gaston
January 8- High Point and Greensboro
January 14-Union
and Mecklenburg
January 22-Durham
January 29-Cabarrus
February 12-Lee
February 18-Haywood
February 19-Stanly
March 5-
Pitt
March 10-Forsyth
March 18-Moore
March 24-Craven
April 20- Vance
Flyer
Contact: Nancy Ormond
252-438-7627
What are
the issues? What’s working? What’s not?
Teacher training
Retaining teachers
Paper Work
Transition services and other agency involvement
IEPs
Vocational opportunities
Least restrictive environment; separate
classes/schools
Testing -Graduation rates
???????
