Drivers

Drivers

(Continued from Page 2) Robert Eastham suggested that another item be addeJ for discussion: “the arbitrary and capricious interpretation by the state Department of Education of the General Assembly’s Standards of

Quality in special education, that has undermined the education of normal school /children.”

In a final item, the board agreed to issue a special certificate of/fictWevement td educable mentally retarded students who complete specified course requirement! covering 23 class units. '

Assistant superintendent Rob McDaniel maintained that the certificate will en» courage older retarded students who don’t want td leave school until they earn $ diploma of some type. Thesi students, he said, aren’f eligible for vocational rehabilitation services while still in high school although they can remain enrolled until age 21.

“What’s the average IQ of these students?” asked Eastham.

“I would guess about 60 but it could range as high as 70,” McDaniel replied. “Wi; have students in regular programs with IQs as low as 75,” he reported.

In addition to receiving achievement certificate!) EMR students will be assigned to high school homerooms in the future based on their age level. “All EMR students are now in eighth grade homeroom)* whether they’re 13 or 18'’ McDaniel said.

Following the open meeting, the board recessed into executive session. After returning to open session at 12:20, the board voted unanimously to:

—approve a parent’s request to allow a student to discontinue high school,

—approved the .list of personnel as submitted by the superintendent, —reaffirmed “a previous board decision.”

The board also agreed to allow teachers 10 days after the salary scale is approved by the supervisors to accept or reject in writing contracts for the coming year.—D.H.