James B. Conant High School - Hoffman Estates, Illinois

Community Setting

James B. Conant High School is located in a suburb directly west of Chicago, Illinois. The school serves more than 2,700 students in grades 9 through 12.

Population Served

Through a variety of specialized programs, Conant High School serves more than 200 students with disabilities (including learning disabilities, serious emotional disturbance, speech / language impairment, and other health impairments) as well as students at risk of dropping out of school. About 5% of students who receive special education services qualify for free or reduced price lunch. Three-fourths of the students who receive special education services are Caucasian, while 16% are Asian, 5% are Hispanic/Latino, and 4% are African-American. Twelve percent of the students have Limited English Proficiency.

Program Description

Self-determination was infused into the special education programs at Conant High School beginning in the early 1990s through a federally funded transition systems change grant that included interventions for students and parents. Since then, self-determination also has been incorporated into a self-contained setting for students with severe behavioral and emotional problems, and a half-day self-contained setting for students at risk for dropping out of school (called LifeWorks).

Exemplary Self-Determination Practices

• Students are presented with their options and staff allows them to make their own choices. Even if students make choices that result in negative outcomes, the staff waits until students have experienced failure and are motivated to succeed before helping the student re-evaluate options. Teachers and other staff members emphasize mutual respect and support for the students, without taking responsibility for students' decisions or the outcomes from those decisions.
• A self-determination philosophy exists among staff, including administrators and general education teachers. The school's mission statement includes themes of problem-solving, personal responsibility, and citizenship. Self-determination is viewed as important for all students at the school.
• Teachers infuse principles of self-determination into existing academic curricula.
• Self-determination practices are incorporated in the entire range of special education courses, including mainstream, self-contained, and resource settings.

Collaboration

The special education department at Conant High School collaborates with a number of human service agencies. The Northwest Suburban Special Education Organization (NSSEO) is a cooperative that provides a range of services, from wraparound services for students at risk of out-of-home placement, to transition services and education-to-careers planning. The NSSEO provides services and programs that compliment those already provided in the district. A consultant from Edgewood College also collaborates with the special education department chair and an NSSEO representative to develop methods to further promote self-determination.

Staff

The special education programs at Conant High School are staffed by 13 teachers, 7 assistants, support staff, and a department chair. LifeWorks is taught by one teacher and one assistant.

What People Say About Self-Determination and Programs at Conant High School

And I think part of my job . is again to put my kids in the best possible situation for them to be successful. I think this is certainly one of those things that if you don't take this out of your toolbox and use it, you're very foolish because it is a very powerful concept and it is a very simple concept. This is not one where you need a ton of training for your staff. This is not one where you need to purchase the fancy version or you need to get textbooks or anything like that. This is a very simple concept which can improve your school in a hurry.- Administrator

I think one of the things I've been really impressed with is how good the staff are at thinking about possibilities. And they are very familiar with the programs and kind of thinking, "well, you know you could do this or you could do that or whatever" and yet they don't do anything. I mean they don't take any responsibility for the kids. - Parent of two students

As educators I think we are always ready to tell a student what we think they should be doing. Self-determination I think puts back what they really feel that they're capable of doing and show them the different options that they do have.- Staff member

What I've seen with this program, they have taken the most unmotivated students and have provided avenues for them to succeed. Where the students become proactive in the process, where as in some of the other models its what's being done to the students instead of what's being done with the students. And students walk hand in hand with adult staff that are supporting them. And it's a real process. It's not just happening to them. They're the ones that are learning during the process - Human service agency representative

I think also maybe across the board, there is a consistency between teachers and TA's. At least the teachers that I work with and the TA's that I'm associated with. We try to establish a young adult professional relationship. And if you treat them like a young adult, and you tell them, "this is the way it is". And you do it unemotionally, this is, you know, "we're not against you, we're not out to get you, this is the way life is and you're growing up, and you have to start to tackle each challenge." - Assistant teacher

Educational self-determination, that means the wellness of the students who want to participate actively in their educational program, and actually develop avenues that may be non-traditional approaches to learning and experiences in learning. Self-determination to the students I know have gone through here.they succeed through trial and error and failure is removed from the equation. It's framed more as an experience instead of a letter grade. It builds on the strengths of the student and not the weaknesses.It would mean that the student takes credit for their successes and are recognized and then the success are celebrated and highlighted. Mistakes aren't minimized but again they're framed as learning experiences. - Human service agency representative