Poverty Is NOT a Learning Disability: Equalizing Opportunities for Low SES Students » (New Edition)

Dennis R. Dunklee is professor emeritus in the Education Leadership Department in the Graduate School of Education at George Mason University. During his 25 years in public schools, he served as a teacher, elementary school principal, junior high and middle school principal, high school principal, and central office administrator. During his tenure as a professor, he taught courses in education law and school leadership and served as an advisor and chair for masters in school administration candidates. He continues to advise doctoral candidates in school leadership and serves as an adjunct professor. Because of his expertise and practical experience, he is frequently called on to consult in the areas of effective schools, school law, administrator evaluation, instructional supervision, school-community relations, problem solving, and conflict resolution. In addition, he has been involved as a consultant and expert witness in numerous school-related lawsuits nationwide. As a university scholar and researcher, he published 10 textbooks, two monographs, and more than 100 articles on issues in the fields of school law, business management, administrative practice, and leadership theory. He is active in a number of professional organizations; has presented papers at international, national, regional, state, and local conferences; and is a widely sought-after clinician for inservice workshops. Dunklee was an invited participant and presenter in the 2005 Oxford (University) Round Table on Education Law: Individual Rights and Freedoms and in 2007 was recognized by Kappa Delta Pi as an educator "who exemplifies the high professional, intellectual, and personal standards our Societypromotes, who demonstrates dedication to educators, students, and the field of education."

Dunklee has written or co-written seven books for Corwin Press. His other Corwin books are You Sound Taller On The Telephone: A Practitioner's View of the Principalship (1999); If You Want to Lead Not Just Manage (2000), The Principal's Quick Reference Guide to School Law (2002) (with Robert J. Shoop), Strategic Listening for School Leaders (2005) (with Jeannine Tate), Anatomy of a Lawsuit: What Every Education Leader Should Know about Legal Actions (2006) (with Robert J. Shoop) and The Principal's Quick Reference Guide to School Law 2nd Edition (2006) (with Robert J. Shoop).

He received his PhD in school administration and foundations from Kansas State University. His major area of research was in the field of education law, and his dissertation was on tort liability for negligence. He holds a master's degree in elementary and secondary school administration from Washburn University.

This book is designed to improve the education of elementary school children with low school-readiness skills (low SES children) by preventing their misidentification as learning disabled. It is built on the premise that the time and money spent on special education services will be better used if educators focus on the needs of children with low school readiness skills before their deficits become so great that neither intervention nor remediation will work, and before the children's self perceptions are so badly damaged that they quit trying to succeed and accept failure.

Poverty Is NOT a Learning Disability challenges educators and parents to consider how low expectations-a "deficit perception"-can affect a child's achievement and stresses optimism as a central tenet of elementary schools' day-to-day teaching/learning programs and school-community relationships. The authors emphasize that an attitude of optimism is strongly connected to hope for the future and crucial to providing children with a positive vision of what they can accomplish.

This resource also covers how to build trusting relationships throughout the school community, among teachers, administrators, the school staff, and parents. Children inevitably endeavor to fit the words, actions, and deeds of those around them into narratives of their own. The authors convey how vitally important it is for members of the education community to work together to ensure that youngsters receive a view of the future that inspires hope and validates the potential of each child.

Preface
About the Authors
Introduction
1. The Changing Realities of America's Public Education: Foundational Facts and Implications
Diversity
Poverty
School Readiness
Lack of Parental Involvement
Deficit Perceptions
Special Education and NCLB
Summary
2. The Unfortunate Link Between Low Socioeconomic Status and Learning Disabilities
Understanding Learning Disabilities
Poverty Is Not a Learning Disability
Educators' Lack of Understanding of Poverty
Teachers' Role in Learning Disability Referrals
The Cost of Misidentifying Children as Learning Disabled
Summary
3. Teaching Strategies and Techniques Proven to Work With Low SES Children
Four Teaching Strategies That Work
Summary
4. The Importance of Strong School-Home Relationships in Educating Low SES Children
The Importance of Parent Involvement
The Importance of Home-Based Involvement
The Importance of School Climate
Meeting the Challenges Presented by Low SES Neighborhoods
Embracing Cultural Diversity
Summary
5. How Strong School-Business Relationships Can Benefit Low SES Students
Creating a Partnership With Structure and Reciprocity
Looking Beyond Dollars in School-Business Partnerships
Recognizing the Partnership Value of Small Local Businesses
Summary
6. The Role Networking Can Play in the Effective Education of Low SES Students
Networking With Central Offices
Networking Beyond the School District
Summary
7. Managing Change Successfully
Why People Resist Change
Strategies to Reduce Resistance to Change and Promote Successful Implementations
Summary
8. Selecting the RightPeople
Identifying the Characteristics and Qualifications You're Looking For
Assessing Your Faculty and Staff's Strengths and Weaknesses to Clarify Your Needs
Communicating Your Needs and Interests to Human Resources
Structuring the Interview Process
Managing the Interview and Selection Process
Summary
9. Identifying the Core and Individual Competencies That Promote the Most Successful Learning Environment
What We Mean by Competencies
Identifying Core School and Individual Competencies That Promote Student Success
Summary
10. Identifying Expectations and Managing Performance
Some Basic Assumptions
Communicating Your Expectations
Managing Performance Around Your Expectations
Providing Constructive Feedback
Summary
11. A Proven Approach to Improve Educational Opportunities for Low SES Children
Professional Climate
Behavioral Climate
Community Climate
Instructional Practices
Summary
12. Summary and Conclusions
Being the Leader in Your School
References
Index