Lincoln special ed program gets state award

Marisa O’Neil

A kindergarten program at Lincoln Elementary School that combines

special and general education students in one class will receive the

state’s prestigious Golden Bell Award.

The award from the California State Board of Education goes to

schools in a variety of categories each year. Lincoln’s collaborative

class won in the special education category, though the class

includes students from the general kindergarten population.

“We have observers come in the classroom, and they always try to

pick out the kids with special needs,” teacher Amy Morgan-Rogers

said. “Most of the time they get it wrong.”

This is the first time Lincoln has applied for the award. Each

year, about 300 schools apply and about 50 receive a Golden Bell,

according to the State Board of Education Web site.

“The Golden Bell covers every district in the state,” Newport-Mesa

Unified School District spokeswoman Jane Garland said. “Just to get

it means what you’re doing is very innovative.”

The collaborative class, one of six kindergarten classes at

Lincoln, started four years ago after special education teacher

Morgan-Rogers approached kindergarten teacher Jeanette Dreyer about

creating a combined class. Morgan-Rogers studied special education

and collaborative classes while doing student teaching and wrote her

master’s thesis at Cal State Fullerton on the subject.

Morgan-Rogers and Dreyer run the class of 30 students, along with

two teacher’s aides, giving the class a low student-to-teacher ratio.

Lincoln also uses an “Early Bird/Late Owl” program that staggers

class time for all kindergartners.

All 30 students share the classroom for about two hours, when most

of the less-demanding activities -- such as recess and art and

centers -- take place. Students learn the core academics at the

beginning or end of the day.

Each group includes special education and regular kindergarten

students. The ratio, Morgan-Rogers said, allows the more advanced

students to work ahead on an assignment while teachers take extra

time with those who need it.

“It’s good for all of the kids,” Morgan-Rogers said. “There’s a

small student-teacher ratio, and it puts the special education

students in the least restrictive environment. We feel the children

make more progress.”

The general education students also benefit, she said, because

they learn in a more diverse environment representative of more

real-world situations.

During the first year of the program, parents needed more coaxing

to place their students in a class with special education students,

but Morgan-Rogers said that now the program has proven itself.

“Many parents request this class,” Principal Barbara Rothman said.

“They think it’s a good program.”

The two teachers will receive the award at a December luncheon

held in conjunction with the state Board of Education’s annual

education conference. The pair, who spoke about the program at the

California State Kindergarten Conference a couple years ago, will

also make a presentation their program to a group at the December

conference.

* MARISA O’NEIL covers education and may be reached at (949)

574-4268 or by e-mail at [email protected].