Michigan Youth Leadership Forum

The Michigan Youth Leadership Forum is a unique leadership training program for high school juniors and seniors with disabilities. Young people with disabilities cultivate leadership, citizenship, and social skills. Students with leadership potential are selected through a competitive application process and attend at no cost to them or their families. Applications require some preparation, so applicants need to start right away to be able to meet the deadline of December 15, 2008. Contact Bill Milzarski at the Michigan Commission on Disability Concerns, Department of Labor and Economic Growth, at 517-335-6004 (voice or TTY) or 1-877-499-6232 (toll free)(voice or TTY); e-mail at MCDC@michigan.gov; or fax 517-335-7773.

See what they do at this site .

LDA of Michigan President posts in national discussion!

I just happened to post a question for a weekly chat about Special Education, hosted by EPE Research Center and Education Week.

Question from Kathleen Kosobud, Doctoral Candidate, Michigan State University:

Michigan recently began implementing its 21st Century High School Curriculum, which requires all students to meet certain minimum outcomes within the core curriculum, regardless of seat time. For the "gifted" learner, this means that students can proficiency out of courses, and advance on their own. For students who may struggle in academic courses, there are provisions for taking longer to meet the core proficiencies. These include 4 years of English, 4 years of Math (Algebra I & II, Geometry, 1 other course), 3 years of Science, 3 years of Social Studies, 1 credit of the Arts, 1 credit of P.E., an online experience, and 2 credits of a Language other than English. A personalized curriculum is allowed, if requested by family, emancipated minor, or adult student still in high school. MY QUESTION: What dilemmas or concerns do you anticipate, based on your knowledge of other states where there is a core curriculum requirement? What recommendations would you have for Michigan as it begins this journey?

Kim Sweet:

Unfortunately, I have not studied states that have such a requirement. In general, though, I think flexibility in seat time requirements is an important innovation in educating students with special needs at the high school level. In reviewing the description you've set forth, I'd be concerned that there are adequate protections to ensure that the student/the student's family are the decision makers, and that "personalized curricula" do not become an excuse for segregating students with disabilities or inappropriately reducing expectations.

Too bad that the response to my question was not more robust. I know that one of my concerns would be that schools might be unfairly penalized if students in special education opted to stay in high school until they met the proficiency requirements to get a diploma based on the standard curriculum. Students with special educational needs, and English language learners are allowed up to 5 years, under the latest NCLB regulations issued by Margaret Spellings, to complete high school. If students with special needs take longer than 5 years to complete high school (allowed in Michigan), what happens to the status of schools that allow this kind of "extended time"? Conversely, what happens if a student does not meet the proficiency requirements for the Michigan Merit Curriculum? Are they denied a dipoloma? Are they issued a "certificate of completion"? What would the consequences be for not having a "regular" diploma?

Kathleen