Deaf and hard of hearing program may move from University

Slumping test scores and a non-aligning curriculum have prompted Greeley-Evans School District 6 to consider moving the deaf and hard of hearing program from University Schools.

The program dates to the mid-1960s and serves 39 students, preschool through high school, at the charter school. Another 22 hearing-impaired students attend neighborhood schools.

Responding to a program audit, which the school board reviewed at Monday's work session, the district sent program parents a letter asking for feedback. The letter includes audit data and lists three options for the 2008-09 school year, while a fourth asks parents to "design your option."

Ranelle Lang, deputy superintendent for academic achievement, said oversight is a problem in the program, which costs $26,480 per student.

"It's very difficult for us to do the most basic of improvements ... when we place a high-need program in a charter school," Lang said. Because charters can use their own curriculum "... it becomes difficult for us to ensure that the instruction is happening in a way that we know might work best for hearing-impaired students."

The school board will wait on parent feedback before voting on any change to the program.

A few University teachers at the session said changes could harm students' social relationships and academic continuity. Two options would leave older students at University, while moving younger ones to another school. Under both options -- aside from those grandfathered into the program -- students would ultimately be phased into a program at another District 6 school. It would be structured similarly, where hearing-impaired students get integrated with other students.

The teachers said the district is moving prematurely without consulting University staff on possible solutions.

"University School in my opinion is top notch," said Nick Barnard, a high school teacher within the deaf and hard of hearing program. If University's curriculum was lacking, its overall CSAP scores would be low, he said. "But I'm not seeing that."

Mollee Reiber, another teacher within the program, said parent input is valuable, but equally important is staff ideas. "Let's see if we can't mend what appear to be problems."

One problem with the CSAPs, teachers learned, was that they are allowed to hand-sign test questions to hearing-impaired students. They previously thought they were only allowed to sign test instructions. They learned of the discrepancy during last spring's audit, and believe scores would be better if they'd been signing the questions. They were told by district staff to sign only the instructions, they said.

On that matter, the audit review says, "appropriate accommodations are not provided for students during CSAP."

Other audit findings:

* Access to content standards lack due to inadequate instruction;

* Majority of interpreters have not met state qualifications. It was noted that there's a statewide shortage of interpreters.

The report didn't detail CSAP scores, but it did state that not all of the students in the program are making one year's growth in CSAP content areas, or minimal growth.

Board member Judy Kron was concerned the report didn't include feedback from school staff.

"University does have a long history (with the deaf and hard of hearing program). In the past, they've done good things with this program," Kron said. "There's a whole combination of things that have led to where we are, including a lack of supervision on our part as to who owns this program."

Board President Bruce Broderius said he was saddened by the audit's findings. The district has made headway in language acquisition programs, he said, "but these children need more language acquisition help than any children on the face of the earth and that (poor performance) makes my skin crawl."

Next year's school calendar

The school board voted on a school calendar for 2008-09 that returns students to the classroom from winter break on Jan. 5 next school year.

That decision came despite a request by Andi Lee, president of the Greeley Education Association, which represents district teachers, to schedule the date as a teacher work day. A work day, followed by students' return Jan. 6, would have "teachers and students at their optimum best" to start a new semester, Lee said.

The board voted 7-0 on the calendar, which has students report to school Aug. 14 and begin winter break Dec. 22, 2008. Spring break is April 6-10, and the last day of school is May 20, 2009.