It is wise to understand as you seek to manage your caseload effectively that you are operating in a “culture of compliance, ” according to President’s Commission on Excellence in Special Education (2002):
“Finding 1: IDEA is generally providing basic legal safeguards and access for children with disabilities. However, the current system often places process above results, and bureaucratic compliance above student achievement, excellence and outcomes. The system is driven by complex regulations, excessive paperwork and ever-increasing administrative demands at all levels—for the child, the parent, the local education agency and the state education agency. Too often, simply qualifying for special education becomes an end-point—not a gateway to more effective instruction and strong intervention.”
You will have to determine whether you are a compliant personality. If you are, you can easily slip into the go-go-go pandemonium of daily paperwork and meetings. It masks many special education issues, particularly, over-identification, because one is too busy to think. Overriding is the prospect of being “non-compliant.” We sign employment contracts depending on our ability to know and implement policies and procedures. Never mind they are not working well to keep non-disabled out of special education. We believe we must be compliant.
Quietly, you must begin to advocate for the rights of fragile children. This is not the same thing as advocating for the rights of schools. It brings quality to the process.
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