Bexar County is home to some of the most unique and educational events and activities in Texas, but, unfortunately, many of these students are unable to take advantage of those events, attractions, and learning opportunities due to the high percentage of economically disadvantaged students, special education students, at risk students, and English Language learners (ELL). In order to work to ensure that all students are able to take advantage of all that Bexar County has to offer, the following ten recommendations and solutions have been generated, taking into consideration both options offered by the federal government and options offered by non-profit organizations.
The federal governmental education programs that are recommended for implementation within Bexar County include the TRIO programs, designed to assist students from families below the poverty line (Federal Programs for High School Interventions, 2014); the GEAR UP program, designed to provide necessary interventions at the high school level for the purposes of making children prepared for college (Federal Programs for High School Interventions, 2014); a broader implementation of IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act), looking more into the additional funding options offered (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act Overview, 2014); and information on the programs that are available to teachers should be provided directly to the teachers themselves (TEACH Grants, Federal Stafford Loan Forgiveness, Federal Perkins Loan Forgiveness, and the various Teacher Incentive Funds), working to not only decrease the stressors on teachers but providing them with additional benefits that they may in turn pass on to their class (Federal Programs for PreK-12 Teachers, 2014). The non-profit organizational programs and services that should be implemented include: BCFS, Adelante! U.S. Education Leadership Fund, Big Brothers Big Sisters of SoTX, Boys & Girls Club, and the Brighton Center.
In this manner it will be possible to work to address the needs of all of the economically disadvantaged students, special education students, at risk students, and English Language learners (ELL) in Bexar County, hopefully freeing up many available resources that will allow them to participate in the host of learning opportunities that Bexar County has to offer.
- Federal Programs for High School Interventions. (2014). Febp.newamerica.net. Retrieved 18 April 2014, from http://febp.newamerica.net
- Federal Programs for PreK-12 Teachers. (2014). Febp.newamerica.net. Retrieved 18 April 2014, from http://febp.newamerica.net/
- Individuals with Disabilities Education Act Overview. (2014). Febp.newamerica.net. Retrieved 18 April 2014, from http://febp.newamerica.net/
- Non-Profit Organizations – San Antonio Chamber of Commerce | San Antonio, TX. (2014). Sachamber.org. Retrieved 18 April 2014, from http://www.sachamber.org/
