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C. Recommendations <br />Our study does not provide an answer to the question of merger. Whether these <br />two school systems remain separate is a decision that goes beyond an analysis of educational <br />resources. It is also a political, economic, cultural, and ethical question that needs to be <br />resolved by the citizens of this community and their elected representatives. <br />The dilemma that the Commissioners face is common to many communities across <br />this country. Given the relationship of economic advantage and academic success, it is no <br />surprise that school systems serving students who are most oriented to academic work and <br />aspiration have also the most money to spend on their education. Efforts to address this <br />irony spring from a recognition that public schooling is responsible for the education of all <br />the children in our communities and the conviction that every group in society benefits when <br />all our citizens participate fully in our civic, cultural, and productive life. <br />Our recommendations address the processes of schooling where we have found <br />educators struggling to provide opportunities for students within these two excellent school <br />systems. We have relied on achievement data to identify those areas of curriculum and <br />schooling where the disparity in resources may be correlated with disparities in <br />achievement. And so our recommendations point to areas where resources for OCS might <br />be increased, both through provision of County funding and through more collaboration with <br />CHCCS. These recommendations suggest targeting investments, sharing information and <br />planning more collaboratively <br />Increasinq OCS Resources Pre K -12 <br />1. Increased Provision of Social Workers <br />Given the individualized instruction and support that children with special needs <br />require, OCS needs more specialists to work with students at every level of the system. <br />Acknowledging the difficulty of finding resources to increase the number of certified EC <br />teachers to work with students, we recommend that the county explore how to increase the <br />number of social workers for every Orange County school. Perhaps the County can use some <br />portion of social service funding to provide this support for students_. <br />2. Increased Resources for Exceptional Children (EC) Specialists in OCS <br />Social workers will alleviate some of the strain that OCS schools deal with as they <br />work to support students in crisis. But at every level of OCS this system needs to be <br />buttressed. Student Assistance Teams need training, crisis intervention counselors need to <br />be present. Analysis of the referral system is needed to ensure that there is not a process <br />of over - identification. Support for students still struggling with literacy needs to be <br />extended into middle schools and high schools. <br />CHCCS /OCS Final Report 80 <br />