East Meadow School District to expand integrated co-teaching

The East Meadow School District is expected to expand its integrated co-teaching program to the elementary level next year, administrators announced during a budget presentation at the Board of Education meeting on March 23.

For the past four years, the program has been used on the secondary level. Now it is to be put into effect in the district’s five elementary schools.

ICT dates to the 1970s, according to Betsy Lashin, the district’s director of special education and pupil personnel services. An ICT classroom consists of a general education teacher and a special education teacher providing instruction together to students who have learning disabilities and those who don’t.

According to the budget presentation, the funding for the program expansion — which will add 24 new teachers — will come from grant funds from the American Rescue Plan, a coronavirus rescue package, the budget itself and additional funds from state aid. The plan is to use two- thirds of the grant money, extra state aid and one-third of the general budget to fund the program the first year, two thirds general budget and one third grant and state aid the second year, and in the third year the money will come straight from the general budget.

“We’re in this fortunate situation right now where we have grant money coming in while at the same time seeing an increase in our state aid,” Dave Casamento, assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction said at the board meeting. “So as to not inflate the budget at a ridiculous number we will implement this program K-5 in one shot and instead of the East Meadow budget taking the hit, it will take the hit over three years.”

East Meadow has been looking to do this for a while Lashin said. “They’ve had it at the secondary level for years now and they were gradually phasing it in and to the elementary grades,” she said. The district’s two middle schools and two high schools have had integrated co-teaching since about 2018, Lashin said, and Bowling Green, one of the district’s elementary schools, currently has the program for fourth and fifth grades only.

If the student was younger than fourth or fifth grade and needed the extra help, they would get a resource room, consultant teaching meaning they would have supplemental instruction by a special education teacher or they would be put in a special class, where their individualized needs would be met with other children that have similar struggles.

“With integrated co-teaching, we’re able to better support students with disabilities in the least restrictive environment,” Lashin said. “We’re able to give them the support of a special education teacher working alongside a general education teacher inside the classroom with their peers.” Before, if students needed integrated co-teaching in grades four and five they would have to be bussed to Bowling Green even if their house was zoned for a different elementary school.

In total for the district 13.7 percent of its roughly 7,300 students are special education students.

“A number of years ago I sat at a CSE meeting and I said how is it possible that we do not have co-teaching for all of our children,” Board Member Jodi Luce said at the board meeting. “On a personal note it just brings me joy to know that this is going to be something that is offered to all of our children.”

Lashin listed numerous benefits of co-teaching classes, including higher self-esteem for all of the students in the classroom, students getting more time with teachers, more engagement by students and the benefit of special education students being educated among their general education peers. There are also benefits for teachers, she said. “Sometimes where one teacher may lack experience, the other teacher can support them in it,” she said. “So it really enhances and even refines the teacher’s knowledge and you get more sets of eyes to see what goes on.”

“My final five years were taught in an inclusive classroom and the benefits to all children in the class were clear daily,” Janet Goldstein, a parent, said at the board meeting. “The experience brought out the students’ kindness, compassion and inclusivity for all.”

Lashin said that the hiring process has begun, and there are several prospects. “We’re thrilled to be able to embark on this journey,” she said.