School board takes close look at special education services

One of the agenda items for the School District 166 September 15 school board meeting was a review of the Cook County Schools 2016- 2017 school district goals. One of the goals was to better define the school district’s relationship with the Northland Learning Center, the regional cooperative that provides special education services to ISD 166.

The school board took steps toward that goal during the meeting with a report from Reggie Engebritson, executive director of the Northland Learning Center (NLC). One of the first things Engebritson told the ISD 166 board is that the cooperative had changed its name from Northland Service Cooperative to Northland Learning Center, which more accurately reflects its goals. NLC offers services such as school psychologists, autism specialists, occupational, physical and speech and language therapy and more.

The Northland Learning Center has 10 “member districts,” Chisholm, Cook County, Ely, Eveleth-Gilbert, International Falls, Mesabi East, Mt. Iron-Buhl, Nett Lake, St. Louis County and Virginia. Engebritson said the learning center serves 1,506 students. As of December 2015, Cook County had 92 students receiving special education services. Brian Yuretich is the coordinator for Cook County.

Board members asked questions about special education staffing decisions. They also asked how students in need of special education are identified. Engebritson explained that the first step is at ISD 166. She said if a teacher sees a student struggling with academics or behavior, they can share their concerns with the ISD 166 Child Study Team (CST). Engebritson said the team gives the teacher recommendations for “pre-referral interventions.” The teacher follows the recommendations and brings data back to the information goes to NLC.

Within 30 days, an evaluation is done, said Engebritson, and then the school, parents and special education specialists have a meeting to develop an individual education plan (IEP). She said, “People ask why it takes so long to get children special education services, this is the process.”

And, Engebritson added, ‘If parents say no, we can’t pursue special education services.”

Another goal set by the school board is to ensure that the school district IEP team includes representation from the Grand Portage community, which will be done, said Superintendent Dr. Bill Crandall. He noted that Nett Lake is in the same NLC region as Cook County Schools. He asked Engebritson if that school does anything different to recognize the Native American cultural aspects of education.

Board Member Deb White asked if NLC worked with the other schools in the county and Superintendent Crandall said they do not. As charter schools, Oshki Ogimaag, Great Expectations School and Birch Grove Community School are responsible for special education staffing.

White asked how transition goes when those students come to ISD 166. Crandall said the school receives an IEP and the student is assigned a new case manager. He said ISD 166 would likely have NLC’s Brian Yuretich come assist with a new evaluation.

As Engebritson summed up her report, Board Member Terry Collins asked, “Are you pretty confident that our lines of communication and cooperation are clear for this year?” Engebritson said yes.

Schoolwide reading goals set

Kindergarten through 12th grade Principal Adam Nelson gave a report on schoolwide reading and the proposal for improvement. Using the Measures of Academic Progress (MAPS) reading test results, the Sawtooth Mountain Elementary School goal is to see reading skills increased from 46 percent in spring 2016 to 55 percent in spring 2017.

For Cook County Middle School, Nelson said the goal is that the 6-8th-graders tested will increase from 60 percent in spring 2016 to 67 percent in spring 2017. The high school goal is to see growth in reading skills from 63 percent in spring 2016 to 68.5 percent in 2017.

School Board Member Deb White noted that these are “very ambitious goals.” Nelson said the numbers are “pretty much in the middle” of those established by other schools across the state. He said he believed ISD 166 is setting attainable goals.

The school board asked questions about the pressures of test taking. Board Member Terry Collins asked, “Are we doing anything in classrooms to help students take these tests? Not teaching to the test, but practicing the test taking?”

Nelson said yes, students take practice tests in the computer lab. He said school staff has had discussion of how to create a better testing environment.

Board Chair Jeanne Anderson said the practice is important, especially for elementary school students who are sometimes more interested in playing with the computer and mouse than completing the test. Anderson said there has been some good discussion amongst teachers about how to explain the importance of the test, especially to the middle and high school students.

Principal Nelson also shared a comparison of graduation rates statewide and CCHS. Cook County has equaled or had a more successful graduation rate than the state since 2011, as shown below.

In other business

. The board reviewed a report from the Institute for Environmental Assessment (IEA) on drinking water samples collected at Cook County Schools. IEA sent the water samples to Minnesota Valley Testing Laboratories, which conducted testing for lead on 37 samples from throughout the school campus. The analysis of the water samples ranged from below the limits of detection to a level of 14.9 parts per billion (ppb) below the EPA action level.

. A list of payments to be made by the school district was shared with the school board, with an explanation included for a number of large expenditures, such as $19,165 for the district bus lease; $14,956 for workers compensation insurance; $23,576 for liability insurance and $6,637 for MAPS testing.

. Superintendent Crandall told the board that early childhood family education (ECFE) classes would be starting in October.

. Principal Nelson provided information on students enrolled in advanced placement (AP) courses at CCHS. Based on data from June 2016, there are 28 AP students at ISD 166 enrolled in English literature and composition, human geography, United States history, calculus, environmental science, and physics. CCHS AP students scored higher than the statewide average in human geography, calculus and environmental science.

. Crandall also said the flag poles at the main school entrance are now operational and repairs to the floor in the industrial arts room are complete.

. Principal Nelson said faculty has completed Crisis Prevention Intervention (CPI) training as well as seizure training, mandated reporter training and cultural education training.