Research, personal, and professional experience have convinced me that the major determining factor of successful special education programs in international and private schools is a sense of family that permeates the school’s culture. An institution’s commitment to serve all students as equal family members is life-changing for both families and educators. The accepting ears of those serving children with disabilities are the driving force behind not just educating children with disabilities, but serving all children. Schools that have created a culture of belonging supported by strong administration leadership and a dedicated special education program director are proving that students of all abilities and backgrounds can learn and thrive together.
International and private schools that aspire to be inclusive environments share significant challenges in terms of developing community partnerships, securing adequate funding and service options, and retaining qualified teachers. R-ISE works with international and private schools to secure and sustain special education programming that will work by drawing from the school community and the community at-large. Rather than working from a prescribed service list R-ISE works with each international and private school to develop solutions that will work in each unique setting. I listen to you.
The word international, may bring to mind an environment in which all children are accepted and nurtured regardless of their learning ability (Shaklee, 2007). Unfortunately, this is not often the case due to the fact that international schools serve a variety of cultures, races, and religions which value or accept disabling conditions in very different terms.
Building on the stance of the United Nation Convention on the Right of Persons with Disabilities (2017) R-ISE works with international schools to develop a special needs program that meets the unique needs of their school. R-ISE supports personnel as they gain a clear understanding of their individual views of disability, their ability to serve children with disabilities, and how to establish policies and procedures that support the success of the vast array of children served.
There are approximately 30,900 private schools in the United States. With more and more children with disabilities attending private schools, R-ISE is committed to supporting families and children who attend private schools while understanding the financial constraints of private education.
Private schools that make a commitment to serve students with disabilities often find that their school culture must go through a time of awkward transition. R-ISE comes alongside during this time of transition to ensure that the school will become a place where compassion, understanding, patience, and enrollment grow. R-ISE can provide private schools, parents of children with disabilities, and parents with typical children with knowledge that ensures success of all students through consultation, leadership seminars, coaching sessions, mentorship, program development, training and parent/student education.
Parents of children with disabilities often feel unprepared for their child’s special education journey. R-ISE works one on one with parents to educate and equip them by making sure they understand their parental rights, guiding them through appropriate and realistic goal planning for their child, and supporting them through each step.
Parent workshops will focus on special education law, understanding individualized education plans, understanding the educational psychology report, insights to disability categories, and topics developed by the requesting group.