The contracting out aspect of what Rhee is proposing is already being done on a small scale in Baltimore. When the state "took over" Montebello, Templeton and Gilmor and gave them to the Edison schools to run, the state contracted with Kennedy Krieger to run a portion of the special education services. Even though they are back under city "control" (with Edison still providing some of the management), the partnership with KKI still exists.

As with most initiatives, it is not clear whether something like this would work to scale - would KKI (or the school Rhee is partnering with) have the resources (mostly human resource - which is the perennial issues in SPED) to make it work in every school that needed it?

Thanks for the comment, Michelle. I think that what's being proposed here is somewhat different because the special education contractor would oversee and individualize instruction for all students, not just those in special ed. My understanding of the Kennedy Krieger partnership in Baltimore (and please correct me if I'm wrong) is that they just work with the special education students at the Edison schools.

I support this idea because it is innovative, idealistic, expects the best from EVERY student in the classroom (Students w/Disabilities AND Extra Abilities) and sounds well thought out. I have no idea if it will work, but we know the status quo is not working effectively for the majority of children. Let's try something new!

Therefore, it now comes to implementation - and Mrs. Rhee has proven in the past that her administration thinks in great detail before implementing any idea.

As for lesson planning, an idea like this would absolutely require that the faculty work together and plan together in teams - otherwise the workload on an individual teacher would become too much. Of course, faculty should be coordinating in meaningful ways already, so this push to truly differentiate instruction in the classroom could really produce some amazing gains.

I have two children who are MR one IS ADHD he attend Mamie D. Lee school in NW they don't have after school program there I'm struggling to find a afterschool program for him, I have called places, its either to much money or they not accepting children I need HELP ASAP!!!!!

Yes, the KKI/Edison partnership is just about SPED students - I was just pointing out the contacting aspect to a more established provider is being done here which raises the issue of scale. In terms of the curricular and instructional changes Rhee's proposal would bring, it seems exciting and will be interesting to follow the progress...

I'm interested to see how Rhee's proposal works on a day-to-day basis. As a special educator in Balto City schools, I'm am regularly overwhelmed by the amount of paperwork, and continue to be frustrated that I don't have enough time to actually plan instruction and work with my students, which is my favorite part of my job. (But hey, at least all of my paperwork is complete.)

Sara, please keep us posted on any follow-up info you hear about this proposal in DC. I'm interested to hear how it's implemented and how successful it is.

I agree with Another Michelle. I am a spec ed teacher in Balt. County and the paper trail I have completed this school year alone could travel across the world. I would like to know how they would decrease this. I would also like to know how they would establish the baselines for each student, considering that our baselines are established by formal assessments, which are given individually for extended periods of time.