Including and serving students with special needs in Catholic schools: a report of practices.

Including and serving students with special needs in Catholic schools: a report of practices. Based on responses to a survey of 19 Midwestern Catholic dioceses,the author reports the mission, educational practice, and financialmeans utilized to serve students with special needs in Catholic schools. ********** The current agenda of PK-12 education reflects a widespread,powerful concern for the success of all students. Public schools arerequired to be accountable to the federal government and to statedepartments of education for the achievement and growth of all students.Catholic schools, while often not bound by the same reporting andtesting requirements as public schools, are still accountable to theirconstituencies. A parallel phenomenon in a few large, public schooldistricts is the enactment of laws permitting a choice that allowsparents of economically disadvantaged students and/or those inunder-achieving schools to leave those ineffective schools and chooseothers. The parents of many students enroll in school choice programs tosend their children to Catholic schools. One reason noted by Greeley(1998) is that "the Catholic schools are especially likely to besuccessful with students who suffer from multiple disadvantages"(p. 24). Limiting consensus on the effectiveness of Catholic schoolswith respect to diverse populations is a lack of data with respect tocontrolling for student differences between schools, however (Coons,1997). In the late 1990s, some research about Catholic schools reflected aconcern that they were becoming elite private schools that emphasizedcurriculum over spiritual formation; that they were, in fact, no longerthe common schools for the Catholic masses (Baker & Riordan, 1998).As religious sisters, priests, and brothers ceased to fill the roles oflow-cost, "contributed services," Catholic school educatorsand the schools became staffed by lay faculty and costs rose such thatparish financial support had to be supplemented by tuition paid by theparents of students who attended Catholic schools. As faculty costscontinued to grow as a significant factor in the operation of Catholicschools, many schools quickly concluded that they could not take on theadditional costs that might be incurred in establishing programs forstudents with special needs. Greeley (1998) notes, If the costs of Catholic education have forced Catholic schools to price themselves out of the market for some of the Catholic population, this is unfortunate. However, from the church's point of view, the existence of the schools is justified because the church needs at least some young men and women who have had the experience of more intense Catholic training. (p. 25) Thus, the notion of elitism e��lit��ismor ����lit��ism ?n.1. The belief that certain persons or members of certain classes or groups deserve favored treatment by virtue of their perceived superiority, as in intellect, social status, or financial resources. can be framed by both family financesand the academic ability of students. Arguably ar��gu��a��ble?adj.1. Open to argument: an arguable question, still unresolved.2. That can be argued plausibly; defensible in argument: three arguable points of law. , many students do notattend Catholic schools because their parents have decided it is notaffordable. Others are turned away because of the inability of theschools to offer an appropriate education (Weaver & Landers, 2002). PURPOSE OF THE STUDY The current study seeks to determine if a Midwestern group ofdiocesan di��oc��e��san?adj.Of or relating to a diocese.n.The bishop of a diocese.diocesanAdjectiveof or relating to a dioceseNoun 1. Catholic schools considers it their mission to educate studentsof all abilities, the extent to which students with special needs areincluded in the population of Catholic schools, the types of specialneeds served, how students with special needs are served when included,whether Catholic schools incur additional costs in providing specialneeds services, and how those costs are met if incurred. An overview of current research is provided, followed by adescription of the research process and findings, themes present in theresults, exemplary programs, implications for Catholic schools andpolicymakers, and questions for further study. THE PERTINENT LITERATURE THE INCLUSIVE MISSION OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH Regarding the inclusion of students with special needs in Catholicschools, Church documents state that "costs must never be thecontrolling consideration ... since provision of access to religiousfunctions is a pastoral duty" (United States United States,officially United States of America, republic (2005 est. pop. 295,734,000), 3,539,227 sq mi (9,166,598 sq km), North America. The United States is the world's third largest country in population and the fourth largest country in area. Conference of CatholicBishops, 2002). While Catholic schools have not compiled comprehensivestatistics on the number of students with special needs served, Catholicschools are often perceived, however, as being less diverse and moreacademically elitist e��lit��ismor ����lit��ism ?n.1. The belief that certain persons or members of certain classes or groups deserve favored treatment by virtue of their perceived superiority, as in intellect, social status, or financial resources. than public schools. "Catholic high schools donot generally have a reputation for serving students with specialneeds" (Powell, 2004, p. 86). The provision of such services is anextra factor in determining parish and school resources (Russo,Massucci, Osborne, & Cattaro, 2002). Powell (2004) reports thatCatholic schools either do not have or do not choose to provide theresources. Catholic schools typically have higher teacher to student andadult to student ratios (Coons, 1997). Given those conditions, parentsof Catholic students with special needs are sometimes forced to choosebetween their desire for Catholic education and the need for specialservices For Special Services, first published in 1982, was the second novel by John Gardner featuring Ian Fleming's secret agent, James Bond. Carrying the Glidrose Publications copyright, it was first published in the United Kingdom by Jonathan Cape and in the United States by (Russo et al., 2002). INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES EDUCATION ACT This article or section is currently being developed or reviewed.Some statements may be disputed, incorrect, , biased or otherwise objectionable. (IDEA) Russo et al. (2002) present a most thorough summary of the tenetsof the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act of 1997 (2000) as itapplies to students in Catholic schools. Legally, these tenets arederived from the "child benefit theory" and "Lemontest" principles articulated by the United States Supreme Court United States Supreme Court:see Supreme Court, United States. andaffirmed af��firm?v. af��firmed, af��firm��ing, af��firmsv.tr.1. To declare positively or firmly; maintain to be true.2. To support or uphold the validity of; confirm.v.intr. recently by the same court in Agostini v. Felton Agostini v. Felton, 521 U.S. 203 (1997), is a landmark decision of the Supreme Court of the United States. In this case, the Court overruled its decision in Aguilar v. (1997), withrespect to Title I services on-site. The salient points are: * IDEA regulations require the identification of all children withdisabilities, including those in non-public schools. * Students with disabilities in religiously affiliated schools areentitled en��ti��tle?tr.v. en��ti��tled, en��ti��tling, en��ti��tles1. To give a name or title to.2. To furnish with a right or claim to something: to receive services on-site. * IDEA caps what public schools must spend for students withdisabilities in non-public schools, but those schools and districts mayelect to spend more. * Likewise, IDEA requires that funding be available to non-publicschool students if needed, but the funds may not finance all theservices that a student needs. * Public funds See Fund, 3.See also: Public may not be used to finance existing non-publicschool programs, but public schools may finance a variety of specialservices, including employment of private school teachers outside oftheir regular employment hours. * Students with disabilities in private schools have the right toservices from teachers who have the same qualifications as those inpublic schools, but the services may be less in quantity than thosesupplied to public school students because of the funding cap mentionedabove. * Agostini v. Felton (1997) specifically prohibits team teaching byteachers employed by public and religiously affiliated schools in thereligiously affiliated school (Russo et al., 2002). In addition, McDonald (2000) reports the following: * Public school districts are required to consult with privateschools about services, but the public school has the final decision. * Services may be provided on-site in the Catholic school, butthere is not an obligation to do so. * Transportation for services is required. * When state averages are compared, IDEA provides less than 10% ofspecial education funding. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act of 1997 describesstudents with disabilities by means of the following categories: mentalretardation mental retardation,below average level of intellectual functioning, usually defined by an IQ of below 70 to 75, combined with limitations in the skills necessary for daily living. ; vision, hearing and speech or language impairments; seriousemotional disturbance This article requires authentication or verification by an expert.Please assist in recruiting an expert or [ improve this article] yourself. See the talk page for details. ; orthopedic orthopedic/or��tho��pe��dic/ (-pe��dik) pertaining to the correction of deformities of the musculoskeletal system; pertaining to orthopedics. impairments; autism autism(ô`tĭzəm), developmental disability resulting from a neurological disorder that affects the normal functioning of the brain. It is characterized by the abnormal development of communication skills, social skills, and reasoning. ; traumatic braininjury Traumatic brain injury (TBI), traumatic injuries to the brain, also called intracranial injury, or simply head injury, occurs when a sudden trauma causes brain damage. TBI can result from a closed head injury or a penetrating head injury and is one of two subsets of acquired brain ; other health impairments; and specific learning disabilities.English Language English language,member of the West Germanic group of the Germanic subfamily of the Indo-European family of languages (see Germanic languages). Spoken by about 470 million people throughout the world, English is the official language of about 45 nations. Learners (ELL), English as a Second Language Learners(ESL (1) An earlier family of client/server development tools for Windows and OS/2 from Ardent Software (formerly VMARK). It was originally developed by Easel Corporation, which was acquired by VMARK. ), and students who deal with obsessive compulsive com��pul��siveadj.Caused or conditioned by compulsion or obsession.n.A person with behavior patterns governed by a compulsion.compulsivethe state of being subject to compulsion. disorder, anxietydisorder anxiety disordern.Any of various psychiatric disorders in which anxiety is either the primary disturbance or is the result of confronting a feared situation or object. , depression, bipolar disorder bipolar disorder,formerly manic-depressive disorderor manic-depression,severe mental disorder involving manic episodes that are usually accompanied by episodes of depression. , physical disabilities,Tourette's syndrome Tou��rette's syndromeor Tou��rette syndromen.A severe neurological disorder characterized by multiple facial and other body tics, usually beginning in childhood or adolescence and often accompanied by grunts and compulsive utterances, as of , and behavior and attention deficit disordersare included in this study. The special needs categories"gifted" and "eating disorders eating disorders,in psychology, disorders in eating patterns that comprise four categories: anorexia nervosa, bulimia, rumination disorder, and pica. Anorexia nervosa is characterized by self-starvation to avoid obesity. " are included in thisstudy, but are not categories described in IDEA. FINANCING STRATEGIES The National Catholic Educational Association (NCEA NCEA National Catholic Educational AssociationNCEA National Center for Environmental AssessmentNCEA National Center on Elder AbuseNCEA National Community Education AssociationNCEA National Certificate Educational Achievement (New Zealand)) has reportedthat Catholic schools utilize minimal, incremental state and federalfunding (Tracy, 2000). Noting the lack of solid statistics on Catholicschool students with special needs and that Catholic schools generallydo not have or provide the resources for services to students withspecial needs, Powell (2004) observes that financial cooperation betweenthe school and parents is becoming typical on the elementary level (p.89). Powell further describes the situation at Paul VI Paul VI,1897–1978, pope (1963–78), an Italian (b. Concesio, near Brescia) named Giovanni Battista Montini; successor of John XXIII.Prepapal CareerThe son of a prominent newspaper editor, he was ordained in 1920. High School inArlington, Virginia, where parents agreed to pay as much as $1,200 inaddition to tuition for each student with a disability in 1998-1999. In2003, fully 216 of 1,140 students had identified disabilities, and the2003-2004 extra cost ranged from $2,300 to $3,500. Fundraising andparent and faculty commitment to the service of students with specialneeds is noted, especially by virtue of the school's practice ofassigning its most effective teachers to work with students with specialneeds (Powell, 2004). Cardinal Dougherty High School Cardinal Dougherty High School is a private, Roman Catholic high school in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It is located in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Philadelphia. It is the only Archdiocesan high school to offer Intensive Sceduling, a medical careers health academy in Philadelphia features theintegration of students with special needs, many of whom are toochallenged to be included in a regular academic curriculum, into aregular Catholic high school by means of a "Best Buddies See buddy list. "program (Ryan, 2001). The students with special needs' home school,Our Lady of Confidence, was built in 1954 to serve only students withspecial needs. In a recent personal communication with Counselor JackFitzsimmons and administrator Diana Van Fine, the author learned thatthe "Best Buddies" school-within-a-school program is in itsseventh year and continues to serve about 60 students with mild tomoderate handicaps. The extra costs associated with three full-timespecial education teachers, three teacher assistants, and a number oftherapists are financed in the following ways: student tuition, withspecial needs students paying the standard tuition rate; subsidies fromCatholic Charities, who originally financed 100% of the extra costs; andfund-raising. Serving as a "Best Buddy" is highly popular withCardinal Dougherty students, who mentor during the school day and spendtime socializing with their buddy outside of regular school hours. METHOD THE PARTICIPANTS The participants in this study are Catholic diocesansuperintendents or their designees. Dioceses falling into a generalgeographical description of "Midwestern" were identifiedthrough a web search. One to three dioceses from each state were invitedto participate. Minnesota and North Dakota North Dakota,state in the N central United States. It is bordered by Minnesota, across the Red River of the North (E), South Dakota (S), Montana (W), and the Canadian provinces of Saskatchewan and Manitoba (N). were the northernmost states,and Oklahoma was southernmost. Nebraska and South Dakota South Dakota(dəkō`tə), state in the N central United States. It is bordered by North Dakota (N), Minnesota and Iowa (E), Nebraska (S), and Wyoming and Montana (W). werewesternmost, while Ohio was the easternmost state contacted. Twenty-sixdiocesan offices of Catholic schools were identified and 19 responded.The first invitation was made via e-mail with the survey instrumentattached. Participants were asked to complete the questionnaire andreturn it via e-mail. When sufficient time had elapsed e��lapse?intr.v. e��lapsed, e��laps��ing, e��laps��esTo slip by; pass: Weeks elapsed before we could start renovating.n. for thoseresponses to have occurred, a "hard copy" of the instrumentwas mailed to the school offices not responding. While there is somevariation in the size of reporting Catholic school systems, size is nota consideration in either the questions asked or the categorization ofthe responses. PROCEDURE The survey instrument begins with a confidentiality statement. Theauthor then enumerates the questions that the study intends to answer. As noted earlier, special needs are identified as any of thefollowing: mental retardation; vision, hearing, and speech impairments,including ELL and ESL; serious emotional disturbances, includingobsessive compulsive disorder, anxiety disorder, depression and bipolardisorder; orthopedic impairments, including physical handicaps andsevere and profound mental or physical handicaps; autism spectrumdisorders; traumatic brain injury; other health impairments, includingTourette's syndrome; and learning disabilities, including behaviordisorders and attention deficit disorders. The categories of"gifted" and "eating disorder eat��ing disordern.Any of several patterns of severely disturbed eating behavior, especially anorexia nervosa and bulimia, seen mainly in female teenagers and young women. " are included in thisstudy, but they are not IDEA categories. Supplying directions for completing and returning the instrument,the author collected information via selected response questions thatsought information on mission, types of students with special needsserved in Catholic elementary and secondary schools, means used to servethose elementary and secondary students with special needs, theincidence of extra costs, and resources used to meet those costs.Following the selected response section, the author included twoconstructed response questions dealing with barriers to service ofstudents with special needs and suggested solutions to eliminate thosebarriers. FINDINGS DISPOSITIONS A total of 16 of the 19 diocesan representatives respondingindicated that it was the mission of the Catholic schools in thatdiocese to make a Catholic education available to all students whodesired it. Interestingly, however, only 8 of the respondents indicatedthat the mission intentionally in��ten��tion��al?adj.1. Done deliberately; intended: an intentional slight.See Synonyms at voluntary.2. Having to do with intention. included students with special needs. Tenrespondents indicated that the mission of the schools in their diocesedid not intentionally include students with special needs, and onediocese did not respond. A total of 15 of the 19 respondents indicatedthat a "special needs identification process" exists in theelementary schools of the diocese (4 responded "no"), and 14indicated that elementary schools in the diocese generally servestudents with identified special needs (one indicated both"yes" and "no"). A total of 14 respondents also indicated the existence of a specialneeds identification process in the secondary schools of the diocese,while 4 indicated "no" and one not applicable. Two of these latter 4 had also indicated no elementary process, but2 had indicated an elementary student identification process. While 12of the 19 respondents indicated that secondary schools in the diocesegenerally served students with identified special needs, 5 indicated"no" and 2 did not respond. Nine respondents indicated that elementary schools in the diocesewere more committed to serving students with special needs thansecondary schools, while 10 replied "no" or did not respond.Only one diocese indicated a greater commitment to secondary studentswith special needs than elementary. CURRENT PRACTICE Elementary Schools Respondents were first asked to estimate the percentage of studentswith special needs who are served in the Catholic elementary schools ofthe diocese. While 3 offered no estimate, the other respondentsindicated percentage ranges from 1% to 25%. The mean percentage was 9%,the mode was 5%, and the median was 8%. Diocesan officials were asked to identify the types of studentspecial needs that are served in the elementary schools of the diocese.All respondents indicated that their Catholic elementary schools servedstudents with mild/moderate learning disabilities, mild behaviordisorders, attention deficit and attention deficit with hyperactivitydisorders, and vision, speech, or hearing impairment hearing impairmentn.A reduction or defect in the ability to perceive sound. . Sixteen systemsprovided service to elementary students with anxiety disorders Anxiety disordersA group of distinct psychiatric disorders characterized by marked emotional distress and social impairment, including generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and posttraumatic stress disorder. andphysical handicaps. Fifteen served students suffering from depression. Atotal of 14 of 19 served mentally disabled mentally disabledSee Cognitively impaired. students, those with ESL/ELLspecial language needs, and those with Tourette's syndrome. Elevenof 19 reporting Catholic school systems indicated service to studentswith obsessive compulsive disorders, and 9 systems served students withbrain injuries or bipolar disorder. Only 2 diocesan systems providedservice to severely and profoundly disabled students. In non-IDEAdisability categories, 16 systems provided service to elementarystudents identified as gifted and 14 served students with eatingdisorders. Catholic school systems responding to the study served theirelementary students with special needs primarily through classroomteacher adjustments (19/19), use of special materials (15/19), throughservices provided by local public schools (15/19), certified See certification. specialeducators (14/19), paraprofessionals (13/19), and learningconsultants/instructional facilitators (11/19) employed by the Catholicschools. Strategies utilized less frequently were reported to be smallerclasses and special care teams. Seventeen of the 19 respondentsindicated that there were additional costs to the Catholic elementaryschools associated with serving students with special needs. Tables 1,2, and 3 summarize sum��ma��rize?intr. & tr.v. sum��ma��rized, sum��ma��riz��ing, sum��ma��riz��esTo make a summary or make a summary of.sum these data. Secondary Schools Respondents were first asked to estimate the percentage of studentswith special needs who are served in the Catholic secondary schools ofthe diocese. While 4 offered no estimate, the respondents indicatedpercentage ranges from .5% to 22%. The mean percentage was 8.3%; themode was 5, 10, and 20%, and the median was 8.5%. Seventeen of the 19 respondents reported about their Catholicsecondary schools. All 17 of the school systems indicated that Catholicsecondary schools served students with mild/moderate learningdisabilities. Sixteen systems served secondary students with mildbehavior disorders, attention deficit disorder attention deficit (hyperactivity) disorder (ADD or ADHD)formerly hyperactivityBehavioral syndrome in children, whose major symptoms are inattention and distractibility, restlessness, inability to sit still, and difficulty concentrating on one thing for any , andvision/speech/hearing disorders. Fifteen systems' secondary schoolsserved students with depression, and 12 served students with anxietydisorders. Thirteen systems provided service to secondary students withESL/ELL needs. A total of 11 diocesan systems provided service tostudents with physical handicaps, 10 to those with mental handicaps, 8to those with autism and obsessive compulsive disorder, 6 to studentswith Tourette's syndrome and bipolar disorder, and 5 to studentswith a brain injury. Finally, the same 2 systems that provided servicein Catholic elementary schools to students severely and profoundlyhandicapped also provided that service to secondary students. Reportingon non-IDEA disability categories, 14 systems helped students witheating disorders, and 13 provided service to secondary gifted students. With respect to the means chosen to serve secondary students withspecial needs, Catholic school systems responding to this portion of thestudy (16) indicated that they all utilize classroom teacheradjustments. Eleven of the 16 dioceses responding noted use of certifiedspecial educators employed by the Catholic schools and use of specialmaterials. Ten systems use smaller classes, while 8 utilize servicesprovided by the local public school district. Seven systems employparaprofessionals and learning consultants/instructional facilitators.Four systems indicated use of a "care team." Of the 16respondents to this portion of the study, 14 indicated additional coststo Catholic secondary schools associated with serving students withspecial needs. The same 2 systems that indicated no additional costs onthe elementary level repeated that report for secondary studentprograms. RESOURCES Describing the resources Catholic school systems use to meet theadditional costs of special needs programming is a central purpose ofthis study. A total of 17 of the 19 dioceses responding reported ontheir use of resources for students with special needs. Fifteen of the17 indicated that they use regular Catholic school funds to servestudents with special needs. Twelve systems indicated use of federalfunds Federal FundsFunds deposited to regional Federal Reserve Banks by commercial banks, including funds in excess of reserve requirements.Notes:These non-interest bearing deposits are lent out at the Fed funds rate to other banks unable to meet overnight reserve and local public school district funds. Ten diocesan systemsreported use of funds from their states, such as block grant funds.Eight systems applied funds from special benefactors to the costs ofspecial needs services. Seven used funds from special grants they hadreceived. Six systems employed funds derived from Catholic schoolfoundations. Five dioceses did special fund raising to offset specialneeds costs. One system had special tuition surcharges, and one othersystem supplied extra diocesan funding supplements for those studentcosts. Data on resources are reported in Table 4. BARRIERS THAT INHIBIT CATHOLIC SCHOOLS FROM SERVING MORE STUDENTSWITH SPECIAL NEEDS Responding to a constructed response question concerningsignificant barriers to the service of students with special needs inCatholic schools, systems reported the following: * Fourteen indicated limited funds as a barrier. * Seven systems indicated teachers untrained in working withstudents with special needs and/or a shortage of teacher candidates withspecial education certification, even if the schools could afford tohire them. * Three systems noted classroom teachers not confident in theirability/skills for serving students with special needs. * Five systems reported age of existing school buildings, resultingin accessibility and space issues as significant barriers. * Two respondents saw the absence of a mindset/commitment inCatholic school and parish leadership that service to students withspecial needs is important as a barrier. ** Other barriers noted once were: * A perception that there is a "one size fits all"approach that helps students with special needs; * A perception that public schools and Catholic schools servestudents with special needs very differently; * Better education of students about students with special needs; * Demands on teachers to deal with multiple aspects of diversity; * Lack of cooperation with public schools; * Catholic school admission standards that rule out students withspecial needs. SOLUTIONS TO THE BARRIERS NOTED Study participants made the following suggestions as solutions tothe barriers noted above: ** Regarding finances: * more equitable monies should be sought from IDEA; * more teacher preparation grants; * special diocesan subsidies for parents of students with specialneeds to pay increased tuition; * public school providing more services on site; * improved federal and state support including funds for facilityenhancement; * asking parents to pay higher tuition to offset additional costs; * finding reliable sources of funds, such as the establishment of afoundation to provide sustained funds beyond start-up efforts. ** Regarding the mission and commitment of Catholic schools toservice of students with special needs: * Five respondents suggested faculty, parent, board member andpastor education on why students with special needs should be includedin the Catholic school and how it can be done. * Parishes and schools should conduct needs assessments toestablish facts. ** To improve faculty "confidence:" * Four systems suggested more faculty education, perhaps viacoaching models such as described below. * Use of learning consultants to guide faculties. * More teacher participation in Individualized in��di��vid��u��al��ize?tr.v. in��di��vid��u��al��ized, in��di��vid��u��al��iz��ing, in��di��vid��u��al��iz��es1. To give individuality to.2. To consider or treat individually; particularize.3. Education Planning(IEP IEPIn currencies, this is the abbreviation for the Irish Punt.Notes:The currency market, also known as the Foreign Exchange market, is the largest financial market in the world, with a daily average volume of over US $1 trillion. ) procedures. * Finally, one respondent In Equity practice, the party who answers a bill or other proceeding in equity. The party against whom an appeal or motion, an application for a court order, is instituted and who is required to answer in order to protect his or her interests. suggested that diocesan accreditationprocedures or policies might include a component that requires theidentification of students with special needs in each school. NOTABLE CURRENT PRACTICES A number of the dioceses responding to this study included detailsof programs already developed to serve students with special needs. TheArchdiocese arch��di��o��cese?n.The district under an archbishop's jurisdiction.archdi��oc of St. Louis has employed a learning consultant model formore than 10 years. The consultant works with classroom teachers to aidin understanding of student special needs and development of strategiesto meet those needs. The archdiocese also employs a care team model todevise instructional modifications when the consultant is not a feasibleoption. The diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph, Missouri, has establishedthe Foundation for Inclusive Religious Education (FIRE) "to providechildren with special needs the opportunity for an inclusive Catholiceducation in their home parish schools"(http://www.fire-program.org/MissionVision.htm). The FIRE Board ofDirectors budgeted nearly $160,000 in 2004-2005 for grants to fivediocesan schools for certified educators, para-professionals, materials,and continued training. The Archdiocese of Kansas City, Kansas Kansas City, Kansas (KCK) is the third largest city in the U.S. state of Kansas and the county seat of Wyandotte County (WyCo); it is part of the "Unified Government"[2] which also includes the cities of Bonner Springs and Edwardsville. , has developed a programcalled Perfect Wings to ensure educational opportunities in Catholicschools for all students. This program was developed following a needsanalysis in all schools showing that administrators and teachers wantedtraining and consultation available to better serve students withspecial needs. Currently, Perfect Wings has a three-fifths timeconsultant available to work with all schools in the diocese. Incollaboration with the Special Education Task Force, Perfect Wingspublishes a quarterly newsletter on topics related to the service ofstudents with special needs. Catholic school teachers are encouraged tonetwork with their public school colleagues to learn more about servingstudents with special needs in other settings. Both the Archdiocese of Indianapolis, Indiana “Indianapolis” redirects here. For other uses, see Indianapolis (disambiguation).Indianapolis (IPA: [ˌɪndiəˈn?pəlɪs]) is the capital city of the U.S. , and the Diocese ofSioux Falls, South Dakota Sioux Falls (IPA: [su fɑlz]) is the largest city in the U.S. state of South Dakota, and the county seat of Minnehaha County.GR6 The 2007 city population is 148,000. , employ solutions using the acronym acronym:see abbreviation. A word typically made up of the first letters of two or more words; for example, BASIC stands for "Beginners All purpose Symbolic Instruction Code. REACH. InIndianapolis, Recognizing Excellence in All Children (REACH) is ateacher coaching model aimed at training teachers in brain compatiblelearning differentiation and other supports to help them meet studentneeds. The program also helps teachers learn how to teach reading usinga multi-sensory approach. In Sioux Falls Sioux Falls,city (1990 pop. 100,814), seat of Minnehaha co., SE S.Dak., on the Big Sioux River; settled 1856, inc. as a village 1877, as a city 1883. Settlers abandoned the site in 1862 because of Native American raids, but with the establishment (1865) of Fort , Religious Education for All Children (REACH) beganin June 2002 and aims to include students with special needs in schoolprograms, religious education, and parish events. Angie Quissel,Director of Inclusion for the diocese, reports that REACH set anendowment goal of $100,000 and has been able to grant some funds duringthe past year (A. Quissel, personal correspondence, 2004). A programbrochure is available that describes how some of the funds havebenefited children to date. EMERGING THEMES MISSION AND PRACTICE The stated mission of most Catholic schools is inclusive andpromotes the availability of programs to all students. Schools aresomewhat inconsistent, though, in the actual practice of servingstudents with special needs. The data in this study show, however, thatCatholic schools are likely serving more students with special needsthan is the common perception. The Catholic schools surveyed generallyemploy some type of special needs identification process. Most of thestudents with special needs attending Catholic elementary schoolsreceive some type of extra service. Data indicate that Catholicelementary schools are more committed to serving students with specialneeds than the high schools, and Catholic high schools in the study do,in fact, serve fewer students with special needs. Students with specialneeds comprise approximately 8-9% of the population of all Catholicschools in the study. All elementary schools report making modifications for studentswith mild special needs; vision, speech, and hearing disabilities;students with English language needs; and most address those physicallyand mentally handicapped. Few serve students with serious or complexneeds, such as severely and profoundly disabled students. All elementary schools report serving students with special needsthrough modifications by the regular classroom teacher. Most adjustmaterials, use public school resources, and employ certified specialeducators and/or paraprofessionals. Most of these schools reportadditional costs incurred by serving students with special needs. Almost all Catholic secondary schools report serving students withmild special needs including vision, hearing, and speech. Approximatelytwo thirds of the reporting schools serve students with English languageneeds and students with mental and physical disabilities. Fewer than onethird indicate serving students with serious or complex needs. Of the 19reporting systems, the same 2 serve severely and profoundly disabledstudents on both the elementary and secondary levels. Secondary schools also use classroom teacher adjustmentsextensively. Two thirds employ certified special educators, use specialmaterials, and schedule smaller classes for students with special needs.Responding secondary schools utilize public school resources moreinfrequently in��fre��quent?adj.1. Not occurring regularly; occasional or rare: an infrequent guest.2. than elementary schools. Most secondary schools indicateincurring extra costs when serving students with special needs. Both elementary and secondary schools report consistent service ofstudents who are gifted and those with eating, anxiety, and depressiondisorders. A follow-up study needs to be conducted to determine if thesestudents are served in the classroom or by specialists or counselors,and if there are any significant differences in the effectiveness ofvarious strategies. RESOURCES Regular Catholic school funds, likely tuition and parish subsidies,are used by the reporting systems extensively to meet the extra costsincurred in serving students with special needs. Most systems make useof federal, state, or local public resources. About half of the systemsresponding report cultivating special benefactors or obtaining grants. Afew employ special fundraising to meet special needs costs. Only onesystem indicated a tuition surcharge An overcharge or additional cost.A surcharge is an added liability imposed on something that is already due, such as a tax on tax. It also refers to the penalty a court can impose on a fiduciary for breaching a duty. to parents of students with specialneeds, and only one system reported schools receiving extra funding fromthe diocese for extra costs incurred in serving students with specialneeds. The most significant barriers to improved service of students withspecial needs in Catholic schools were reported as inadequate funding,insufficient teacher preparation and confidence, inaccessible buildings,and inconsistent commitment from parishes and boards. Solutions includeobtaining training grants for teachers, improving federal and statesupport, and leading more effective education of parents, pastors, andboards regarding the reasons for including students with special needsin Catholic schools. IMPLICATIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS FOR CATHOLIC SCHOOLS ANDPOLICYMAKERS The mission of the Catholic Church is clear concerning access toreligious education and opportunities for all. Catholic school leadersshould more clearly promote a welcoming message to families of studentswith special needs. It does seem that Catholic schools are serving morestudents with special needs than is commonly perceived. That messageshould be communicated clearly to all public schools as well. Diocesesand schools having success in programming and financing for studentswith special needs need a forum for broader dissemination disseminationMedtalk The spread of a pernicious process–eg, CA, acute infection Oncology Metastasis, see there of theirefforts. Many high schools have much to learn from elementary schools inthe identification and service of students with special needs. Catholic diocesan leaders can make a more sustained effort toeducate pastors, boards, and parents about the need to include studentsof all abilities in Catholic schools. Catholic school leaders mustsecure and make better use of the public resources available to allstudents through federal and state programs. Likewise, diocesan leadersmust provide resources to schools for teacher training and subsidies toschools for the additional costs of special needs programs for students.Retro-fitting buildings for access by students with special needs is asignificant issue requiring long-range planning, including opening adialogue with other non-public or public schools about additionalcollaborative efforts. The development and long-range planning abilities of the typicaldiocese are stronger than those of individual schools or parishes. Ifhelping schools meet the costs of educating more students with specialneeds means a greater development effort on the diocesan level toestablish foundations, secure grants, identify special benefactors, orconduct additional fundraising, let that be the plan. While a phase-inperiod may be needed for a broader implementation of service to studentswith special needs in Catholic schools, no school should be allowed toopt out. QUESTIONS FOR FURTHER STUDY Questions meriting further study include: * If students in Catholic schools are not receiving some publicschool services http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Image:Schools_Collection_May_2007_2.JPGSchool Services are a business unit of the National Library of New Zealand (Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa). They provide curriculum and advisory services to support New Zealand schools. to which they are legally entitled, why not? * Catholic schools seem willing to ask parents to "anteup" to serve student interests such as special academic programs,technology, arts, languages, and co-curricular activities. Are schoolswilling to do the same for programs for students with special needs? * To what extent do (or can) Catholic schools collaborate withother religiously affiliated, private or public schools to form"special needs cooperatives" to benefit students with specialneeds in all of those schools? REFERENCES Agostini v. Felton, 521 U.S. 203 (1997). Baker, D. P., & Riordan, C. (1998). The eliting of the commonAmerican Catholic school and the national education crisis. Phi DeltaKappan, 80(1), 16-23. Coons, S. (1997). Catholic schools serving disadvantaged students.Appendix C. Future of Children, 7(3), 140-144. Greeley, A. (1998). The so-called failure of Catholic schools. PhiDelta Kappan, 80(1), 24-25. Individuals with Disabilities Education ActAmendments of 1997, 20 U.S.C. [section][section] 1400-1487 (2000). McDonald, D. (2000). Some are more equal. Momentum, 31(1), 63-64. Powell, M. A. (2004). Catholic high schools: Can inclusion workwithout significant publicly-funded resources? Catholic Education: AJournal of Inquiry and Practice, 8(1), 86-106. Russo, C. W., Massucci, J. D., Osborne, A. G., Jr., & Cattaro,G. M. (2002). Catholic schools and the law of special education: Aresource guide. Washington, DC: National Catholic EducationalAssociation. Ryan, F. J. (2001). Serving students with special needs inPhiladelphia. Momentum, 32(4), 32-35. Tracy, M. E. (2000). Mission and money: A CHS (Cylinder Head Sector) An earlier method of addressing a hard disk by referencing all three physical elements of the drive. It was superseded by logical block addressing (see LBA). 2000 report onfinance, advancement, and governance. Washington, DC: National CatholicEducational Association. United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. (2002). Welcome andjustice for persons with disabilities. Retrieved January 18, 2006, fromhttp://www.usccb.org/doctrine/disabilities.htm Weaver, H. R., & Landers, M. F. (2002). Serving students withspecial needs in Catholic schools. In T. C. Hunt, E. A. Joseph, & R.J. Nuzzi, (Eds.), Catholic schools still make a difference: Ten years ofresearch 1991-2000 (pp. 117-130). Washington, DC: National CatholicEducational Association. W. PATRICK DUROW Creighton University Sitting on a 108-acre campus just outside Omaha's downtown business district in the Near North Side neighborhood, the University currently enrolls about 6,800 students. Creighton is one of 28 member institutions of the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities. W. Patrick Durow is an assistant professor and the coordinator ofgraduate school administration in the Department of Education atCreighton University. Correspondence concerning this article should besent to Dr. Patrick Durow, Department of Education, CreightonUniversity, 2500 California Plaza The name California Plaza may refer to one of the following locations in Los Angeles: Omni Los Angeles Hotel One California Plaza Two California Plaza , Omaha, NE 68178.Table 1Catholic Schools' Mission and Inclusion of Students with Special NeedsStatement Yes No n/a n = 19Does the mission of the Catholic schools in the 16 3 0diocese promote the availability of a Catholiceducation for all students who desire it?If so, does the mission intentionally include 8 1 10students with special needs?Is there a special needs identification process in 15 4 0the elementary schools of the diocese?Do elementary schools in the diocese generally 14 4 1serve students with identified special needs?Is there a special needs identification process in 14 4 1the secondary schools of the diocese?Do secondary schools in the diocese generally 12 5 2serve students with identified special needs?Are elementary schools more committed than 9 8 2secondary schools to serving students withspecial needs?Are secondary schools more committed than 1 17 1elementary schools to serving students withspecial needs?Table 2Types of Special Needs Served in Catholic Elementary and SecondarySchoolsType of special need Elementary Secondary schools schools n = 19 n = 17IDEA disability categoriesLearning disability 19 17BD/ADD/ADHD 19 16Vision, speech, hearing or language 19 16 impairmentsESL/ELL 14 13Mental handicap (retardation) 14 10Physical handicap (i.e., wheelchair bound) 16 11Severe and profound handicaps 2 2Autism spectrum disorders 13 8Obsessive compulsive disorder 11 8Traumatic brain injury 9 5Anxiety disorders 16 12Depression 15 15Bipolar disorder 9 6Tourette's SyndromeNon-IDEA disability categoriesGifted 16 13Eating disorders 14 14Table 3Strategies Used by Catholic Schools to Serve Students with SpecialNeedsStrategy used Elementary Secondary schools schools n = 19 n = 16Adjustments by regular teacher in classroom 19 16Certified special educators employed by Catholic school 14 11Paraprofessionals 13 7Smaller class sizes 8 10Special materials 15 11Personnel or services from public schools 15 8Learning consultants or instructional facilitators 11 7Care teams 3 4Other 2 1Table 4Resources Used by Catholic Schools to Serve Students with Special NeedsType of resource Number of dioceses using n = 17Federal funds 12State funds 10Local public school district funds 12Regular Catholic school funds (tuition, parish school 15 subsidy)Tuition surcharges for students with special needs 1Special fundraising 5Catholic school foundation 6Diocesan supplements to schools for additional costs 1 incurred in serving students with special needsGrants 7Special benefactors 8