complaints forum 1 – www.savvyessaywriters.net
complaints forum 1 – www.savvyessaywriters.net
Read my classmates’ responses and do write two responses. I need one response for each one of them. The response can be one paragraph.
First classmate:
- What do you think is the BEST way to avoid complaints in schools?
Schools that document their policies and procedures well, communicate them to students, parents and teachers appropriately, and follow them in a timely and consistent way increase their odds of avoiding complaints. Relationship building and open communication between teachers, administrators and parents, in general, will help to get and maintain alignment and avoid complaints as will creating a positive school environment and culture.
Complaints will inevitably happen for a variety of reasons; human behavior cannot be controlled nor predicted. If the school has done a good job in complying with laws and procedures in addition to complying with their own written policies, they should be able to avoid litigation. Like effective communication of education of laws, policies, and expectations and building positive relationships with parents and students, documentation is critical.
- Based on what you read, what are some things that you can do (that you haven’t already been doing) to better follow the law?
For me, education in the law was foundational. Although I’d been exposed to many elements of the law in previous classes and during my time in education, there were new insights and surprises for me in reading Yell’s book as well as during the classroom and moodle exchange of information. Some of the nuances of FAPE were particularly insightful to me and the many examples of how that could be denied through substantive and/or procedural violations, as well as through mishandling of bullying or disciplinary actions was very helpful to my practice. I also learned that FBA could be required by law for certain sustained and/or severe behaviors, not just a process completed because it seemed warranted by the team.
As far as things I will do beyond this class to follow the law, I will be sure to stay abreast of the law through forums, professional development, DCLs, and NHDOE communications. I will also follow some of the case law, particularly from District 1.
- What questions or concerns remain for you?
I suppose I remain concerned that despite knowledge, experience, best intentions, efforts and compliance, I suspect there will be complaints. Particularly in the high school environment, I think there is the extra complexity of so many different classrooms, teachers/staff and activities that our students are in. It creates a student life filled with different styles of teaching, communication and discipline where there may be inconsistencies in how things are handled, or perhaps we have some miscommunications, and/or misinterpretations. I believe that complexity increases the likelihood that something can go awry. I do think that this varied environment is very helpful to our students as it represents the world they’ll be entering which is filled with different people, styles, and forms of communication that they’ll have to work their way through.
Second classmate:
I think the best way to avoid complaints being issued to a school, would be for the school to follow the requirements mandated by special education law. Transparency in how these laws are being carried through would also be well advise and display actions of good faith on behalf of the school. The school is should strive to keep channels of communication open with the parents. Another preemptive action that a school could enlist would be the creation of policy that is clear and available for anyone to see if they so wish. Mitchel Yell proclaims this as his first recommendation to the schools, stating the importance of keeping the policy up to date so that it reflects the malleable laws: “Because the area of law changes rapidly, legal developments should be monitored and school policies should be updated when necessary.†(Yell, 2016). On top of this, keeping these policies and giving clear alerts to policy and law changes would keep the school proactive and letting parents know that it is very cognizant of it’s responsibilities.
One way to avoid legal mishaps with faculty is to use professional development time to addressing real issues and providing information needed to keep faculty in line with what is expected of them. Professional development provides a safe platform for teachers and other related staff to share their concerns, answer questions, and practice protocols that might keep them from actions that are illicit to the law. The administration should do a collective review of any issues that have been brought up recently, and use this to navigate professional development to the most meaningful outcome.
After contemplating my role as a paraprofessional as I been learning more in-depth of the laws associated with this field, I see several ways I could improve on my ability to follow the law. I think that both my ability to communicate clearly aspects of the law to colleagues will be vital as well as being able to keep careful recorded records of what objectively happens during my work day. In instances where there is confusion over how a student’s accommodations are to be implemented, it is on me to carefully relate this information to my colleague so that the accommodation can happen with little to no setback. On the matter or recording information pertinent to an incident I am involved in, I think that keeping an objective and organized paper trail will be helpful. In reading the Special Education Complaint Procedures Manual, I was thinking about how useful a paper trail of event would be to the Department of Education who: “will assign an independent investigator to gather the facts regarding the allegation(s).†(NHDOE, 2017). Leaving the facts off the written paper will only work against me and my colleagues as we try to provide evidence that we acted in good faith during the incident. Already in the time of this course I have started paying more mind to the detail I put in my tracking sheets that I write for every class that I am in.
I suppose I am curious about how all of this works in terms of private educational facilities go. If they use a similar complaint process or if it has a whole different process in place. I wonder also if in away, complaints are the best way of opening the door to mediation and avoiding due process altogether. Also I would want to know the rate of complaints that public schools in New Hampshire get for issues retaining to special education?
References
Yell M.L. The law and special education. (2016), Boston, MA. Pearson.
New Hampshire Department of Education Bureau of special education. (2017,
April). New hampshire department of education bureau of special education:
Special education complain procedures manual. Concord, NH.
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