The major goal of the All Languages Are Fun Preschool is to provide children with activities that support their development and growth while they learn a second language. The Preschool is a dual-language immersion preschool program for four- and five-year-old students that operates using a model in which Spanish and English are spoken equally. Experiential activities use children's assets as the context for learning that will lead them to academic success. Children also have the opportunity to learn about other cultures by developing cross-cultural friendships. The preschool is funded by the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Bilingual Education and Minority Languages Affairs.
The major goal of the Burke County Parent Resource Center is to provide parent training and information to families of infants, children, and youth with disabilities. The Center focuses specifically on Latino, Hmong, and low-income parents whose children are traditionally underserved in preschool and school programs. Center activities enable parents to participate more effectively in helping their children with disabilities achieve developmental goals in early childhood intervention programs and improved academic performance in school programs. The Center is a collaborative effort between the Puckett Institute, the HOPE parent-to-parent support network, and the New Dimensions Charter School. The resource center is funded by the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs, Research-to-Practice Division.
The major goal of the Charter School Policy and Practices Study is to gather evidence about how (1) charter schools support the academic and social learning of children with disabilities and (2) charter school special education policies and practices influence the inclusion of students with disabilities. This national study is focusing on the identification of factors that influence (a) student identification and placement in special education, (b) educational opportunities and services, (c) instructional strategies, and (d) educational achievement. Information is gathered from school principals and directors, and teachers, parents, and students to understand special education practices in charter schools throughout the United States. The study is funded by the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs, Research-to-Practice Division.
The major goal of the Charter School Director's Study is to ascertain the manner in which charter schools are serving students with disabilities. Directors or principals of charter schools complete a survey that includes general information about their entire student body as well as specific information about students with disabilities and their families. Directors and principals also provide information concerning (a) strategies used to serve students with disabilities, (b) teachers available to serve students with disabilities, (c) levels of inclusion in academic and social activities, and d) influence of special education policies and procedures on the educational process. The study is funded by the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs, Research-to-Practice Division.
The major goal of the Parent Survey of Students with Disabilities Study is to ascertain parents' perspectives of the education their children with disabilities receive in charter schools. This is being accomplished using a survey that investigates parents' perspectives on special education components such as the IEP process, parental level of involvement, and educational choice. Parents are also asked about their perspectives on inclusion issues as it relates to their children with disabilities (e.g., their children's level of participation in both academic and social activities with their nondisabled peers, their success in both academic and social areas). The study is funded by the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs, Research-to-Practice Division.
The major goal of these case studies is to provide parents and teachers the opportunity to provide in depth information about their experiences on topics such as the IEP process, how state and local policies affect this process, level of social and academic inclusion, and strategies for improving students' level of academic and social success. Study participants are interviewed about different aspects of their experiences involving children with disabilities in charter schools. These case studies of 100 parents and teachers of students with disabilities are being conducted in charter schools across the country. The study is funded by the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs, Research-to-Practice Division.
Web site: www.newdimensionschool.org
The major goal of the New Dimensions Charter School is to use children's interests and assets as the building blocks for pre-academic and academic learning and achievement. The mission of the school is to create learning environments and opportunities that support children in becoming producers of their own learning and in the process acquiring a love of learning. The school's curriculum includes methods and procedures for (a) identifying children's interests, assets, and talents; (b) providing children with opportunities to perfect their abilities; and (c) embedding pre-academic and academic learning into child-selected learning opportunities. The school is supported, in part, by the Puckett Institute, and is funded through the North Carolina State Board of Education, Department of Public Instruction; the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Bilingual Education and Minority Languages Affairs; and local and state foundations.
The major goal of the 21st Century Learning Center is to create, as part of the New Dimensions Charter School, a community learning center that offers academic, artistic, and cultural enrichment opportunities to students and their families during out-of-school time. The Center staff accomplishes this goal by enhancing children's (a) academic success by using children's interests as the basis for providing academic support, (b) self-expression and creativity through the opportunity to participate in visual and performing arts activities, and (c) self-esteem through opportunities to participate in physical and recreational activities. Parents of the children who participate in the Center and other community members are provided with general education and informational opportunities that match their personal interests and goals. The Center is funded by the North Carolina State Board of Education, Department of Public Instruction.
