Author: Julie M. Lane, Ed.D.
Since 1996, I have had several opportunities to build, first-hand, successful and sustainable special education programs in the private sector. I worked closely with private school administrators to create special education programming options while creating a school climate where all children belong. Much of my first-hand experience is primarily in California and my consulting has taken me to schools across the United States, throughout California, and I have also consulted with school personnel in the Philippines and China.
In returning to school to earn my doctoral degree in educational leadership, administration, and policy at Pepperdine University – I focused my studies on how to develop effective and sustainable special education programming in unique settings. What I learned was for unique school settings to be successful and to meet the needs of children with disabilities a collaborative and consultative partnership among school personnel, parents, and community members must exist.
I continue to expand my knowledge of special education programming, cultural awareness, and school climate as I now serve in higher education. I have learned from international educators as to the lack of programming in such settings and the challenges in serving such a diverse population of families. I have explored cultural awareness around special education laws and disability, written and published articles on international, private, and rural education issues, and built my research objectives around special education programming in these unique school settings. Lastly, I have read about, listened to, learned from, and observed parents, educators, children and adults with disabilities, and disability service providers.
R-ISE focuses on the similar challenges found in international and US private schools when serving children with disabilities. These challenges include:
- Retention of qualified teachers,
- Establishment of funding avenues,
- Awareness of community resources,
- Movement towards cultural awareness,
- Acceptance and understanding of the culture of disability and its conflicts with minority groups, and
- Creation of effective and sustainable programming options.
In today’s world of multiple obligations, expectations, hazards, and uncertainties, children need to be guided and supported in the communities where they live and go to school. Moreover, building collaborative relationships and empowering community members creates networks of support that help children to recognize their value in facing the challenges of life.
As an educator, I find great value in collaborating and consulting with community members, especially key constituencies in an educational process, that includes parents, teachers, school leaders, tribal members, businesses, government entities, and nonprofit organizations with educational interests. Each has a contribution to make and all are benefited in helping to raise a child.
R-ISE understands the resource limitations in international and US private school settings. Yet, children are reliant on education teams to collaborate and consult and to create inclusive environments where all children belong. We need to design effective education plans and programs.
R-ISE wants to work with you to create effective multidisciplinary teams where parents are equal team members and the child is the focus of every meeting. Yes, R-ISE also supports parents by guiding them through appropriate and realistic goal planning for their child. It is not our goal to create adversity between parents and school multidisciplinary teams, rather, it is our goal to assist both parents and schools in establishing and growing collaborative and consulting teams where partnerships thrive and children grow.
We, as members of a community, are called to serve our children as they are critical to our own futures. To safeguard the fabric of our future community, we are obligated to help every child see his or her value and the value of others. We are obligated to help every child find their purpose and create schools where all children belong. We are obligated to provide every child an appropriate education so that they can be contributing members of our communities.
Thank you for taking a moment to learn about my passion in serving children, parents, and school communities. Through effective and sustainable program development we can find avenues to meeting the educational needs of our children.
Please explore R-ISE’s website further, and please let us know how we can serve you today. We look forward to serving you.