THE PACT

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• THE PACT
• CO-TEACHING/INCLUSION MODEL

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PRESENTATION POINTS

• What is Inclusion and why do it?
• How Smithtown Middle School Came To Inclusion.
• What is The PACT Co-Teaching/Inclusion Model?
• How the PACT Model can be helpful to your
  students, teachers, and administrators.

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WHAT DOES INCLUSION MEAN?

• Inclusion means that students of different
  ability levels are placed in the same classroom.
• All students are held to the same standards.

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WHY MOVE TO INCLUSION?

• Special Education was working fine before.
• Teachers were doing a great job.
• Kids were learning.
• Why change?

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NEW DEMANDS HIGHER EXPECTATIONS

• FEDERAL LAW - IDEA
• NYS REGENTS POLICY
• NYS STANDARDS
• HS DIPLOMA
• NYS REGENTS AND ASSESSMENT TESTS

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FEDERAL LAW Individuals with Disabilities
Education Act(IDEA)

• To the maximum extent possible, children with
  disabilities should be educated with students
  without disabilities in the least restrictive
  environment.

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States Warning on Special Ed

• Notices Tell Districts To Justify Placements
• In a systematic effort to curb overplacement
  of students in special education, state
  authorities for the first time are preparing
  notices for dozens of school districts on Long
  Island, and hundreds statewide, demanding reasons
  for their placement decisions.

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States Warning on Special Ed

• Notices will be sent to more than 65
  districts - more more than half of all districts
  on the Island - which place 10 percent or more of
  students with disabilities in separate classes.
  
• Newsday
• April 5, 2000

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NYS STANDARDS

• New York State has formulated a more rigorous
  set of standards stipulating what all students
  should know and be able to do at the elementary,
  middle, and commencement levels.

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HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA

• All students will have to pass NYS Regents
  examinations in English, Math, Social Studies,
  and Science in order to receive a high school
  diploma.

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NYS ASSESSMENTS

• All 4th and 8th grade students now take NYS
  assessments in English and Math.
• State assessments in Social Studies and Science
  are coming.
• Scores for all students will be reported to
  assess district performance.

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WHAT DO YOU THINK?

• Of the reasons just given, whats the best for
  moving toward inclusion?
• Think about your answer.
• Discuss your answer with your partner.
• See if you can come to agreement.
• Share your response with the group.

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SPECIAL EDUCATION PLACEMENTS BEFORE INCLUSION
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SELF CONTAINED CLASSES

• The vast majority of students designated as
  Special Ed. were placed in the self contained
  setting.

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THE EVOLUTION OF A PROGRAM

• Pilot - One English class.
• Pilot - One Team English, Social Studies, Math
• Full Inclusion - All subjects, all teams.
• Two 6-7-8 Self Contained classes.

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CO-TEACHING TEAM CONFIGURATION
SS
ELA
SP. ED. TEACHER
SCIENCE
MATH
SP. ED. TEACHER
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WHAT IS A PACT?

• A pact can be described by any of the following
  words
• Deal
• Promise
• Agreement
• Contract
• Accord

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PARITY

• Parity refers to the idea that co-teachers are
  of equal stature and value within the classroom.
• Parity suggests there is a high degree of
  equivalence, equity, and equality associated with
  co-teaching.

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ALTERNATIVE ASSESSMENT

• Not all students learn in the same way.
  Alternative Assessments allow students to
  demonstrate what they know and understand in a
  variety of means. Alternative assessments are
  used in conjunction with traditional student
  evaluation.

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COOPERATIVE LEARNING

• Cooperative activities compliment direct
  instruction and are structured so students are
  positively interdependent with each other but
  individually accountable for their work.
• When students are working in
• groups, Co-Teachers can
• efficiently provide help as needed
• for all students.

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TEAMWORK

• Teachers are teachers of all students.
• Co-Teachers work together to design, implement,
  and evaluate teaching strategies and student
  performance for all students.

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WHAT DO YOU THINK?

• In your opinion, whats the most important
  component of the PACT Model for students and
  teachers?
• Think about your answer.
• Discuss your answer with your partner.
• See if you can come to agreement.
• Share your response with the group

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THE PACT MODEL CAN BE HELPFUL TO YOUR STUDENTS,
YOUR TEACHERS, AND ADMINISTRATORS.

• Its effective and helps facilitate the NYS
  Learning Standards.
• Its part of the Professional Development Plan.
• Its linked up to District core inclusion
  principles for Elementary, Middle, and HS levels.
• Its keyed into District wide staff development
  and the Mentor Program.
• It can by used to demonstrate professional growth
  and development.

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ITS EFFECTIVE

• The PACT Model
• provides the opportunity for all students to
  achieve.
• integrates expertise of co -teachers.
• efficiently uses two teachers simultaneously in a
  whole classroom setting.

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IT HELPS FACILITATE THE NYS LEARNING STANDARDS

• The Standards indicate what all students should
  know and be able to do.
• The PACT Model naturally promotes active,
  engaged, performance based learning through its
  cooperative learning and alternative assessment
  components.

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ITS PART OF THE DISTRICTS PDP

• The PACT Model has been endorsed by the
  Smithtown School District and incorporated into
  its Professional Development Plan.

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ELEMENTARY, MIDDLE SCHOOL, AND HIGH SCHOOL
INCLUSION MODELS ARE LINKED TOGETHER

• All models share a common core of principles
• Teachers are teachers of all students.
• Co-teachers collaborate, plan together, and
  co-teach in an equitable manner.
• All students should be engaged in active
  learning, working individually and in groups.
• Co-teachers take advantage of staff development
  opportunities to help promote learning for all
  students.

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ITS KEYED INTO DISTRICTWIDE STAFF DEVELOPMENT

• District and STA approved PACT Model graduate
  level Stony Brook Course through Teacher Center.
• Mentor Program linkage.
• Recognition as evidence of positive professional
  growth and development.

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IT CAN BE USED TO DEMONSTRATE PROFESSIONAL GROWTH
AND DEVELOPMENT

• Effective implementation of the PACT Model may
  be viewed as positive evidence of professional
  growth and development that can be used to
  enhance teacher evaluations.

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WHAT WOULD YOU SAY?

• How would you complete this sentence?
• If I were to give one reason why the PACT Model
  might be beneficial for students, teachers, or
  administrators,
• I would say _________________
• _____________________.

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OK, SO NOW WHAT?

• Some Suggestions
• Review and endorse the Elementary, Middle, and HS
  level co-teaching/inclusion core principles.
• Encourage your co-teachers to learn more about
  and begin using he PACT Model.
• Indicate successful use of the PACT Model as
  evidence of professional development/growth in
  teacher evaluations.

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New York State Middle School Association
Conference

• THE PACT
• CO-TEACHING/INCLUSION MODEL
• presented by
• Kathy Cassidy, Ed Daniels, Mike Gatto,
• Steve Podd, Darnel Powel