RE: Clusters and Budget Cuts

[Guest guest]

When a cluster classroom is closed, the students in that room have to move to another classroom. Therefore cluster classrooms will be too crowded.This is a result of the budget cuts, and parents need to be aware of it so they can begin to take action. I have seen a lot of teachers and coaches trying to fight back, but I have not seen many cluster parents or grandparents. Where are they?

, I have a feeling you know the answer to this one...A cluster teacher or autism coach need to certified in ESE. Many cluster teachers and gen ed teachers are dual certified, in other words they can teach both gen ed and ESE. A gen ed teacher who is not certified in ESE can not work in the cluster. However, there may be a gen ed teacher who has worked all her life in the gen ed class, but still holds certfication in ESE and therefore can work in the cluster. In general, the answer to your question is no. An autism coach cannot work in the cluster if she only holds a gen ed certification. However, if she is certified in ESE as well as gen ed. she can work in the cluster. Nobody should be hired as a coach unless they have a few years teaching a cluster classroom. There are exceptions to this rule because principals have a lot of power. Currently, I believe there is one coach in Broward who has no

experience teaching cluster classes. Parents should therfore always ask about the staff''s credentials when touring the school. Remember it is the principal who hires, nobody else. Therefore, the principal needs to be involved when things don't go right.

Liz

Subject: RE: Clusters and Budget CutsTo: sList Date: Monday, April 26, 2010, 4:53 PM

Liz,

And what happened to the cluster classes? Have students been moved?

Can a gen ed teacher be demoted to an autism coach?

From: sList@ yahoogroups. com [mailto:sList @yahoogroups. com] On Behalf Of LizzieSent: Monday, April 26, 2010 1:15 AMTo: sList@ yahoogroups. comSubject: Clusters and Budget Cuts

Hi,there are around 30 autism coaches in Broward, one for each cluster, and one for each center school (Bright and Quest). Most of them have five or more years as coaches and most of them have a Masters degree. Some are certified behavioralists as well. The majority have more than five years as autism teachers before they were hired as coaches. The coaches provide training and support for the cluster teachers, their paras, and the gen ed teachers. They also work closely with the ESE specialist, counselors, OT, PT, outside agencies, the school psychologist and the administration. The coaches have to attend monthly meetings with representatives from the district to receive info related to the cluster. This involves training in curriculum and instruction, assessment, ESE policies and recent research. This is also a forum for discussions related to their responsibilities.I think it is important to discuss these issues because

parents should know their teachers' and coaches' educational background. If you happen to have a coach whose background is questionable, you should meet with the school's principal to address it. The principal should absolutely be held accountable for who he or she chooses to hire in the cluster.Although this is a great discussion, I think it is taking place at the wrong time. Last week many cluster teachers and paras were laid off, and there is more to come. One school lost an entire cluster classroom. Cluster teachers have been told that there will be fewer teachers and therefore more students in each classroom. This will have a devastating effect on our children's progress. In this day and age, we need to embrace the educators and request that the principals stop laying off cluster teachers and paras. We also need to stop schools from laying off ESE specialist, especially at schools with clusters. I urge everybody to contact local and state

politicians and ask that they "save" the cluster educators. This is the issue we need to focus on now. Liz