ESE School Profiles
The Purpose Of Our ESE Profiles
The Florida Charter Institute at Miami-Dade College, in collaboration with the Florida Department of Education Office of School Choice, developed deliverables to identify key elements of charter schools with effective exceptional student education (ESE) programming for students with disabilities. Independent contractors with extensive background and experience in Florida’s charter schools and ESE at the school, district, and State levels were engaged to conduct project work and help identify positive practices and processes to share as a resource for Florida’s charter schools. The case studies were to include three schools designated to participate in an on-site visit. The purpose of the on-site visit was to observe the schools in action, meet with instructional and leadership staff, and ascertain positive elements to share with Florida’s charter schools as a resource as schools work to positively impact Florida’s students with disabilities.
School Selection
Data from the Florida’s PK-20 Education Information Portal were reviewed to identify schools that met the following criteria:
- Percentages of students with disabilities at or above the district average
- Positive overall student academic outcomes
- In operation for at least three years
Based on the established criterion, the list of schools was then narrowed to the top twenty. The top twenty schools were then narrowed further to distinguish diversity in school type. From this list we are selecting schools to represent a wide variety of educational programs and ages to provide profiles on how schools are effectively meeting then needs of their special populations.
Process
After selecting a school, we reach out and engage in initial discussions with each school regarding their willingness to participate in the case study process, consultants visited each school, interviewed staff, and met with students informally. The school was provided with an opportunity to identify what they view as areas of strength for their school and educational programming. Consultants visited classrooms and gained insight as to the schools’ ethos, population, and overall pulse of day-to-day activities to gain a sense of the general schedule, culture, and tone throughout campus. Following each visit, consultants synthesized anecdotal information, reviewed available records, and identified salient features of each school. Through the case studies, it is anticipated that schools can serve as a resource for one another for informational sharing and as part of continuous improvement for students with disabilities.
We attempt to identify three key things that each school is doing remarkably well and highlight those in the written profiles we make available. All of the profiles will be posted to the Florida Charter Institute’s website in the “Research” section, and we will continue to add to our library of effective charter schools over time.
Introducing Our Profile Schools
Language and Literacy Academy for Learning • Pasco County
Language and Literacy Academy for Learning (Language & Literacy) is passionate and committed to providing an educational choice option for students with complex needs resulting from their disabilities. The school is comprised of a team of dedicated staff who go above and beyond to ensure growth and success for students and connectivity to the school community.
Seaside School • Duval County
Seaside Charter School (Seaside) is uniquely situated near the Atlantic coast and a large military base. Seaside serves students in Kindergarten through grade eight. Based on its unique location, elements from the coast are evident throughout the campus facility and extracurricular programming. Its closeness to military families makes it a desirable choice for children of active military who are subject to an enrollment preference per Florida Statute and the school’s enrollment policy.
SouthTech Academy • Palm Beach County
SouthTech Academy is part of SouthTech Schools which includes SouthTech Preparatory serving students in grades six through eight, and SouthTech Academy for students in high school. The two schools are both in Boynton Beach but at two separate campus locations. The focus of this profile is on SouthTech Academy’s transitional programming for students with disabilities. SouthTech schools have a collaborative relationship with the School District of Palm Beach County but exist as their own local educational agency or LEA. For the purposes of this review as it relates to students with disabilities, SouthTech Academy’s transitional program was the area of focus.