Margaret Hass

1. Instead of setting evidence-based standards for dyslexia screening, Indiana currently allows individual school districts to determine the criteria used to help identify students at-risk for dyslexia. How would you work with your superintendent to ensure your district uses robust, evidence-based screening practices? 

As an educator myself, I know that robust screening practices are crucial to ensure that all students get the support they need to learn. In this case, I would first want to learn more from our administrators, particularly our Director of Special Education, about what the exact current screening practices are, including which universal screening tool is currently used for dyslexia and what criteria are used to identify students at risk. I would then examine the recommendations of the assessment itself, consult with teachers and families in our schools, read about the current state of research, and investigate what other peer school districts are doing. If updates were needed, I would present this research to the superintendent and board to collaborate on changes. 

2. What screening practices for other disabilities could be improved in your district?

This is something that I would like to learn more about with the help of parent, student, teacher, and community input. Although one in five students in our district has an IEP, I imagine some disabilities are still underdiagnosed among our students, and it is important to continue to research and revisit practices as times change. I have friends from school who are only now, in their 30s, getting diagnoses that would have helped them receive crucial support as children, so I see the need to continually revisit screening practices. Beyond the question of whether disabilities are being correctly identified, though, I would also want to ask students and caregivers how we could continue to make screening practices more welcoming and inclusive for people of different races, genders, and cultures.

3. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) states the following according to Wrightslaw:

Schools are required to locate, identify and evaluate all children with disabilities from birth through age 21...This includes all children who are suspected of having a disability, including children who receive passing grades and are "advancing from grade to grade." (34 CFR 300.111(c)) The law does not require children to be "labeled" or classified by their disability. (20 U.S.C. 1412(a)(3)(B); 34 CFR 300.111(d)).

a) How well does your district inform caregivers and the community of your district's obligation to evaluate a student for IEP eligibility, even when a student is merely suspected of having a disability, and even if the student is advancing academically?

b) What would you do to better inform caregivers and the community that evaluation and more help is available?

I know that this is a general concern, as I have heard stories from people whose disabilities were not recognized early because they could get by academically. To answer the question for current Lafayette schools, though, I would need more information from parents, students, and teachers. A larger question, perhaps, is how we can make our schools more generally accessible, so that all students benefit, whether or not they have been officially diagnosed. Integrating principles of universal design wherever possible, for example, can support students of many different needs, whether they have been identified as disabled or not. As a board member, I would communicate more to the public about what LSC schools already do and what help is available. Finally, I would advocate for more language access for families. On our website, for example, there is a translation tool, but the local district policies appear to only be available in English.

4. How many schools in your district have seclusion rooms? Have you viewed these rooms, and if so, do you feel students have been and will be safe in these seclusion rooms?

I assume that all schools across the district have some form of seclusion room, although I have not yet seen one myself. While our school district does have a fairly extensive policy on “Use of Seclusions and Restraints” (J710), and it includes bare minimum standards about the size and safety features of the room, I’m sure there is room for improvement. Moreover, I believe it is essential to continually revisit all practices related to seclusion, restraint, or “time-outs.” In general, I would like to see more spaces like the “Zen Den” at Glen Acres Elementary School, which is decorated in an attractive way and includes many sensory objects, toys, cushions, etc. that allow students to relax and destress before behavioral situations escalate. Glen Acres has reported that implementation of this room has led to a reduction in negative behaviors overall, and I would like to see similar spaces created in each school.

5. Do you plan to propose your district budget funds to install cameras inside your district’s special education classrooms?

This is a tough question, and would require the board to solicit input from parents, teachers, and the wider school community to determine whether it is a good idea for our district. I can certainly understand the desire for caregivers to have access to visual monitoring of special education classrooms, given the abuses that have happened in other schools. However, the cost to install cameras would be significant, and it is unclear whether they would truly provide better oversight or encourage more de-escalation from staff. As we have seen in other contexts, video cameras are only as good as the systems of accountability they are a part of. For these reasons, I think it’s an issue that would require significant study and community discussion before any proposal could be made.

6. How would you allocate district funds to tailor training for educators to cover less common disabilities (e.g., Tourette Syndrome) when needed?

I support ongoing training for educators on disabilities, both those that are most common and those that are less well-known. Educators across the district should have opportunities to educate themselves on topics that are relevant to their teaching and be paid for their time. For some of these lesser-known disabilities, the administration should look for free or low-cost opportunities for training. The Tourette Association of America, for example, is currently collaborating with the CDC to offer free education programs to school districts. If further support from the board is needed, then I would advocate for additional funds.