Excellence at Eccleston Elementary! 

Eccleston Elementary is a Title 1 school located in the southwest section of Orlando, Florida. The student population of 486 has the following demographics: 57% Black, 2% White, 34% Hispanic and 7% Multi-racial. There are 38 instructional staff members and 2 administrators.

In the summer of 2008, after carefully analyzing student assessment data and the current program model, there was a need to restructure the ESE program at Eccleston. The current program model consisted of ESE students educated in a self-contained classroom with one teacher and one paraprofessional. This model did not allow the ESE students the right to be taught in the least restrictrive environment (LRE). Therefore, a model of inclusive service delivery was implemented. As with change, there were some bumps and bruises. The teachers were apprehensive in the beginning and the students had difficulty transitioning into the general education classrooms.

With a lot of time and patience, success began to slowly, but surely, evolve. For example, one ESE student went from a Level 1 to a Level 3 on the Spring 2009 FCAT Reading and another ESE student scored a Level 3.0 on the 2009 FCAT Writes. The teachers were becoming more comfortable with sharing their space, as well as teaching strategies, and giving up some control.

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