Last month team members from All-In participated in two presentations at the California Charter School Association (CCSA) conference. This year’s conference titled “Momentum” was a chance for charter leaders to come together from across the state to explore important issues in education and exchange ideas about promising practices.
Director of School Partnerships and Behavioral Intervention Services, Amber Fretwell, joined a panel discussion on “Disability and Trauma in the Context of Culture and Race”. The panel discussed the overrepresentation of students of color in special education, the lack of appropriate behavioral and mental health supports for students who experience trauma, and the disparity of access to appropriate services between poor communities of color and their more affluent counterparts, which have resulted in devastating consequences. Amber joined other charter leaders to explore the dynamics and systemic issues facing underserved communities and explore workable solutions to protect their civil rights. In particular, she shared about the work the Learning without Limits team has been doing to reflect on disproportional office disciplinary referrals and the success the team has had in using this structure to create a more equitable system of discipline for their students.
 | Representing Team Cox and the Collaborative Model are (from L to R):
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In addition, The Cox Team (featured above) shared a presentation outlining their experience designing and implementing the Collaborative Model over the past four years. For those of you who aren’t yet familiar with this type of program, the Collaborative Model serves as an innovative alternative to restrictive special education placements for students with intensive behavioral and emotional challenges. The model promotes collaboration between a classroom teacher and special education and clinical professionals to support students in need of intensive, comprehensive support. The Cox team discussed the components of the model, as well as the challenges and lessons learned during the development of this model. Collaborative programs are now being implemented at four UE schools: Cox Academy, Achieve Academy, Lazear Charter Academy, and Triumph Academy, with interest mounting from additional school partners for next school year!
Blog post written by:
Robin Detterman, Executive Director of School Partnerships
Robin Detterman, Executive Director of School Partnerships
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