Posted by Hannah Cleveland on Mon, Feb 15, 2010
Educational consulting is not a science in the literal sense of the word. There are a myriad of factors to consider when placing a client; therefore the more tools we have, the better equipped we are to ensure that we provide families with the most viable options.
One such tool is the Goldberg Educational Placement Inventory (GEPI)TM. The GEPITM is a proprietary assessment tool developed by Adam Goldberg, M.Ed. in conjunction with Boston-area neuropsychologists and special education administrators for use by professionals consulting on school and special needs program placement.
This particular tool can be useful even before a family has engaged our services. The GEPITM results provide insight into the general types of programs which would benefit the student, for example: Public or Private? Traditional or Non-traditional? Day or Boarding? LD or Therapeutic? This basic information can be extremely useful in laying the groundwork for the direction of the initial conversation between family and consultant. In most cases this would allow them to start off on the same page and at least have a solid basis for discussion.
If you think the GEPITM could be of use to a student you know, click here. If you complete the form and return it to me I would be happy to score it and share the results with you.
Posted by Nina Flood, M.B.A. on Mon, May 18, 2009
The Answer Is: $60/hour. What is the question?
What is the hourly rate of classroom instruction based on the $52k price tag of attendance at Massachusetts Institute of Technology?
Though not likely to be heard on the real TV show "Jeopardy", it is the kind of unforgettable lesson that Daniel Barkowitz, MIT's Director of Financial Aid, (and professor of a seminar on personal finance) teaches. Daniel has always had a unique ability to take complex financial aid and financing concepts and make them into something more widely accessible. Because of the economic downturn and resulting higher stress put on college students and their families, I recently met with Daniel to get his perspective on what is needed now.
He offered up with two "Stress Less" solutions (not stressless, but stress reducing) that we are considering here at The Goldberg Center:
1. One of the problems needing a solution is the lack of timely, accurate information available to families. Because most financial aid offices are completely swamped with calls and emails from January through May, (for first years) and May through August, (for the continuing students), many families turn to each other. In person or online, they often inadvertently receive or share misinformation. We are contemplating an online forum that would enable a family to pose a question, get the real regulatory language answer, and then allow its discussion. Most importantly, this forum would be monitored by professionals within the industry to assure that only accurate information remained posted.
2. Another problem is the lack of holistic planning that goes into a family's game plan. There seems to be two schools of thought: either you make financing as painful as possible by paying more than you can afford in an effort to minimize financing costs or remain in denial by deferring payments with expensive financing vehicles. The neglect of a middle ground, however, leads to both shattered dreams and finances. There is a need for a tool that enables a family to see the long and short term benefits of, say, putting half of the balance in a payment plan and assuming a loan for the remainder. The tool we envision would also provide the total and immediate costs of the options for a minimum of four years of the employed strategy.
Which of these two solutions do you feel would be more valuable and merit higher priority for us? Let us know in your comments to this post - thanks in advance!
Posted by Adam R. Goldberg, M.Ed. on Fri, Apr 17, 2009
In our YouTube debut, Education Financing Consultant, Nina Flood, and I discuss how EnCompass Education provides education planning solutions for companies and their employees.
When I founded this new educational consulting program, I intended to transform our profession by bringing educational consultants into the corporate setting... little did I know that it would also impact the world of Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs).
It's admittedly a bit lengthy, coming in just under the ten-minute YouTube limit. However, I think it articulates key aspects behind the vision for this new delivery of educational consulting services.
Please share your reactions by leaving a comment - I'd love to hear what you think as I am about to embark on the speaker circuit. Thanks in advance!
Posted by Joshua C. Doyle, M.Ed. on Wed, Feb 18, 2009
In an ever-changing educational environment, students and families are more often than ever considering options for special education schools to help address learning and attention issues. But what do you need to know about specialized day and boarding private schools from an admissions standpoint? As a former admissions director in LD schools and now as an educational consultant, I spend considerable time demystifying the admissions process for parents and professionals making decisions in the face of student struggles.
The following are my top tips for navigating the admissions process for special education schools:
1) Assessment: It is vital that, before embarking on a search, your child has received updated cognitive and achievement testing. Most schools will not consider a student unless the testing has been performed in the past 2-3 years. In more cases than not, a school will require the submission of a full Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC- IV).
2) Research: The admissions process for you and your child can prove to be overwhelming and emotionally exhausting. Nevertheless, it is important that you all do a significant amount of research on the schools before applying. All special education schools cater to different students in varying ways and it is up to you to understand the realm of possibilities.
A few key questions for initial admissions inquiries:
-To which other schools are your applicants most likely to apply as well?
-What types of teaching methodologies and technologies does your school use?
-Are organizational and study skills taught as core curricular disciplines or treated as peripheral?
3) Retention of Students: It is important to know how many students decided not to return to their school. If the number is higher than 10%, ask why that percentage of students didn't return.
Examples of questions to ask about retention:
-What has been your retention rate for students over the past 3 years?
-factoring out economic variables, why was the retention rate low relative to other schools?
-How many students have transitioned back into a more traditional school environment?
-How many students have been dismissed in the past 2 years? For what reasons?
4) Outcomes Studies: Ask a school if they have performed outcome studies on their students' progress. Many special education schools have done clinical studies that will give specific data on the reading gains their students have made since they have been attending the school. Note that anecdotal information is not a good substitute for hard data. Also, find out where students go, on a percentage basis, when they graduate from the school. How many move on to a four-year college? A two-year college? Take time off? Jump right into industry?
5) Special Education Schools vs. Traditional Prep Schools / Private Schools: In order to meet enrollment goals, many traditional schools are choosing to admit students with learning differences these days. It is very tempting for families to consider these schools because they have a more traditional private school setting and culture. However, not all of these schools have the expertise and/or proven methodologies "in-house" to academically assist these students. It is important to be cautious and ask detailed questions when considering traditional private schools for your child with specialized needs if the school does not have a proven history of working effectively with this sub-population.
A few questions that can open up a discussion about supports for your child:
-Are the teachers trained in special education and what credentials do they carry?
-Is my child going to be pulled out of class or an after school activity to receive help?
-Will my child have to go to a resource room to get additional support?
6) Always ask the school for at least 3 parent references and, in doing so, make sure each has had their child attend the school for at least one full academic year. It may also be helpful to request parent references that are from the same geographical area in order to be able to control comparisons in relating to local school decisions, requirements, etc.