School System Needs Improvements in Area of Disabilities Learning

Jasper County Board of Education members heard presentations about the system’s special education program and planned Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) review during the November work session conducted last Thursday.

Mildred McIntosh, student services coordinator, presented a report on the disproportional figures of local students with intellectual disabilities in relation to state averages. She said the 2005 figures for the black student subgroup were significantly higher than the state average.
Black students represent about 32 percent of the local population versus 60 percent for whites and 5 percent for Hispanics.

With that student makeup in mind, the local black student subgroup earned a risk ratio of 5.0, a figure more than 10 times higher than the next ranked local subgroup (.32 for white students) and twice as high as the state average.
Ms. McIntosh said that an action plan for improvement had already been formed to decrease the disproportionate representation of students with disabilities.
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The plan includes an early intervention service that targets at-risk students for language development by utilizing a part-time reading specialist to work with primary school students with weak reading skills and use of the visagraph and Reading Plus program.

The student service coordinator said that a self-assessment team had been formed including Janice Moore, Penni Jones, Lynn McElheney, Shawne Holder, and Patricia Curry.

Also formed was an early intervention service team including Mildred McIntosh, Penni Jones, Nannette Manning, and Patsy Boykin.

The board’s second presentation of the evening was from Curriculum Director Penni Jones about the forthcoming SACS quality assurance reviews planned for December 4-5 at the primary and elementary schools and December 11-12 at the middle and high schools. The purpose of the reviews are to determine if the four schools will retain accreditation from the organization.

With no other business to discuss before the board in open session, Superintendent Jay Brinson reviewed the tentative agenda for this week’s business meeting, during which official action can be taken. The business agenda included standard reports on finances, enrollment, attendance, social and health services in addition to personnel and policy issues, fund raising and field trip requests.

A report on Tuesday’s business meeting will be published next week.

Before adjourning for the evening, board members entered into executive session to discuss or deliberate upon the appointment, employment, compensation, hiring, disciplinary action or dismissal or periodic evaluation or rating of a public officer or employee.