studentSED 300-0309/25/08
Mock ARC Refection
In order for children to get the help they need, Admissions and Release Committees (ARC) are often formed with the goal of providing students with special needs the best educational setting possible. These ARC groups are made up of the student, parents, general education teachers, special education teachers, school administrators, and often times professionals such as a psychologist or speech pathologists, depending on the disability and its severity.
These groups will first meet when a student is referred to special education and suspected of having a disability, usually by a general education teacher. The ARC group then meets to discuss the situation and work to determine if the student does indeed have a disability and if they are eligible for services. If they determine that the student iseligible for services, they meet again to develop an individualized education program, commonly called an IEP. This document is created and agreed upon by all members of the ARC and its goal is to provide an individualized education plan, different from general education plans, to students with disabilities in order for them to be successful in school and in the future.
Once the IEP is developed, it then has to be implemented by the school. The general education teacher may have to make accommodations and/or modifications to the general education curriculum, or they may have a totally different curriculum in which the special education teacher has the responsibility to put the requirements stated in the IEP into effect. Once an IEP is developed and implemented, the ARC group has to meet at least once a year to evaluate the IEP and if needed, discuss any upcoming transition periods and make any needed adjustments or changes to the current IEP.
In order for our class to grasp the concepts and importance of an ARC, will were given an assignment called a “Mock ARC” where we were divided into six groups and each given a different scenario to display in our own ARC groups. My group, group five, was given the responsibility of meeting for an annual review for an 8th grade student namedJo who was about to make the transition from middle school to high school. The purpose was to review the results of the current IEP and revise it and determine Jo’s least restrictive environment (LRE) for high school. Each member of our group was assigned a role including; student (Jo), mother of student, general education teacher, special education teacher, chairperson (principle of the middle school), and the high school guidance counselor. In this case, all members of the ARC were happy about the progress Jo was making and had no major issues with the direction that Jo was headed.
In my personal opinion, this assignment was very beneficial and helped us to realize what the ARC is all about and how important it is to students with disabilities. After watching all groups conduct ARC meetings based on different scenarios, some where all members were happy, some where a parent was angry, some who had to determine if Jo needed an IEP, and others to evaluate progress of a current IEP, I have learned so much and realized the sincerity of the process.
One point that really seems important to me is the reality of the relationship between parents and school personnel. I now understand that not everyone is going to be happy about what is best for the student. Parents may be in denial about their child’s disability or not be impressed with the progress they are making with an implemented IEP. In the real world, not everyone is going to be happy but often times, be in disagreement and not always be looking out for the child. Another issue that I realized through this process was the intensity and depth of what’s involved in an ARC meeting. I would have never guessed that so many people with so many different abilities and tasks are involved in this process. It was interesting to see how even people without direct daily contact with a student are involved in the decision making (i.e. high school guidance counselor for Jo).
The most important idea of the ARC process is collaboration. Our group had to make collaborative efforts to perform the duties of an ARC. In respect to Kentucky Teacher Standard # 8, we not only identified students whose learning could be enhanced by a collaborative effort, but designed, implemented, and analyzed a plan of action for that student. The importance of effective collaboration cannot be expressed enough in words. Without the effective communication of those who care for a student, they cannot possibly work together well enough to develop a plan to help the student be successful. Without a common goal among these persons which should be to give the student the best possible education, they cannot possibly be successful in having the child’s best interest at heart.
Overall, I really enjoyed this ARC process. All students with disabilities and special needs need people who want them to succeed to work together for their benefit and be their advocate in life. I personally feel that the ARC process is set up well and is extremely needed for all students who desperately need help to succeed in school. In the future, I know that I myself will be a part of ARC groups. I understand that I will take part in advocating for students and helping to develop an IEP that will allow them to succeed in school and I am joyful that I will get a chance to experience that.