Special Education in Public Schools. (1 Viewer)

[Krodwhodat]

Good morning everyone, my down in CT had its yearly meeting to discuss the town budget. I think our education budget for our town was right at 68% of the town budget. I am fine with that as i think better children become better adults which leads to a better country. the main battle between the parents is common core and special education. by state law CT is required to give all children the same rights of an education in public schools until the age of 21. last year we spent $521,000 in private education for 6 students to go to private school because our town couldnt provide what was needed for these children to get an education on par with non special education children. I had some conversations with @Oye about the need for IEPs, (i am actually working on a response for you) who has great incite into the matter. For K-8 we have 7 special education teachers and the budget for it is increasing higher every year. one of the moms said that 1 in 59 children are diagnosed as special needs and that we need more SE teachers for our students. the argument from the other side is that to many kids are being diagnosed with special needs incorrectly, and why are some people having to pay out of pocket for tutoring for their children ($80) and hour when Special Ed kids get it in class for free.
Are we over diagnosing our children or have we under diagnosed for years or maybe a mixture of both?
Should public school children get free tutoring or at least free one on one time with teachers like Special needs students do?
is almost $100k a kid for private school for a special needs kids extreme for a public school budget and where do you draw the line?
its been a very heated discussion and is begining to divide parents in the town and the ugliness on social media with attacks and boycotting businesses that dont agree.

 

[efil4stnias]

Having a daughter diagnosed with dyslexia ( its actually a processing issue, but falls under the "dyslexia umbrella") i think all kids should have an opportunity to flourish. Her needs are probably less intrusive than most ( more time on test, verbal instead of written on longer exams ). We were lucky in that the teacher that brought this to our attention, identified the flags because she has a son with dyslexia.

Now we spent $2000 for an evaluation, we spend $40 /half hour of tutoring , 3 days a week. ( possibly for another 24 months til she ( and we ) grasp what/how her brain processes info ). It has been a tremendous help and we are seeing results now that we thought would take years to materialize. Do i wish her school offered something free? absolutely. However, they do not and its incumbent upon me, as her parent, to provide her with the tools necessary to succeed. I alos understand there are those who are less fortunate than i and feel they should have the ability to obtain the same resources i do , but cannot, simply due to financial issues.

As far as diagnosis goes, if they are being evaluated by a professional, then i dont know that there is an issue of "over-diagnosis". Interestingly enough, i have heard anecdotal stories of parents having kids diagnosed as to get more timing on ACT/SAT tests. IF true, i dont know how you corral that as that falls into a category along the lines of cheating the system. But how do you identify those in need and those not?

 

[Saint_Ward]

You'd think for $521k, you'd be able to hire 2-3 specialists and pay their rent each year, and still be like 250k ahead.

 

[SystemShock]

I have a bit of experience with this, since both my kids required special ed (my oldest until he was around 4, my youngest still there, but in private school on my dime), and that's seems a substantial amount of money for 6 kids. What is it that $500K + cannot buy in your town?

Frankly, it looks to me like someone is sticking their hand in the cookie jar.

.

 

[Krodwhodat]

I have a bit of experience with this, since both my kids required special ed (my oldest until he was around 4, my youngest still there, but in private school on my dime), and that's seems a substantial amount of money for 6 kids. What is it that $500K + cannot buy in your town?

Frankly, it looks to me like someone is sticking their hand in the cookie jar.

.

When I asked at the town hall meeting the response was that due to HIPAA laws that they couldn’t discuss it.

 

[efil4stnias]

When I asked at the town hall meeting the response was that due to HIPAA laws that they couldn’t discuss it.

discuss the cost of the programs ????

Health Oversight Activities. Covered entities may disclose protected health information to health oversight agencies (as defined in the Rule) for purposes of legally authorized health oversight activities, such as audits and investigations necessary for oversight of the health care system and government benefit programs.32

Summary of the HIPAA Privacy Rule

Summary of the HIPAA Privacy Rule

www.hhs.gov

i read thru this pretty quickly and saw nothing regarding the prohibition of discussing costs associated with any sort of program.

is there a name for the program for which you are posting about?

 

[Saint_Ward]

Now I'm more confused after reading this again. The public schools have like 7 special ed teachers, but these 6 kids cant get the right education from them? Is it really that specialized of an issue?

 

[Krodwhodat]

discuss the cost of the programs ????

Health Oversight Activities. Covered entities may disclose protected health information to health oversight agencies (as defined in the Rule) for purposes of legally authorized health oversight activities, such as audits and investigations necessary for oversight of the health care system and government benefit programs.32

Summary of the HIPAA Privacy Rule

Summary of the HIPAA Privacy Rule

www.hhs.gov

i read thru this pretty quickly and saw nothing regarding the prohibition of discussing costs associated with any sort of program.

is there a name for the program for which you are posting about?

It


It’s called Outplacement program. I’m not sure how much it happens in the rest of the country but here is an article about it in Greenwich which is near me and what it costs. It is hitting CT public schools hard.

Redirect Notice

www.google.com

A more up to date one

Redirect Notice

www.google.com

 

[Krodwhodat]

Now I'm more confused after reading this again. The public schools have like 7 special ed teachers, but these 6 kids cant get the right education from them? Is it really that specialized of an issue?

Read the link I posted above

 

[efil4stnias]

so i read your post again and im a bit confused.

Please correct me here if im wrong. Your town pays $521,000 for 6 students to attend a private school and obtain special educational instruction that the public school cannot offer? is that the crux of it?

Why is it that the public school system cannot provide? is the cost for the same instruction more expensive because its going thru the public school route?

 

[Krodwhodat]

so i read your post again and im a bit confused.

Please correct me here if im wrong. Your town pays $521,000 for 6 students to attend a private school and obtain special educational instruction that the public school cannot offer? is that the crux of it?

Why is it that the public school system cannot provide? is the cost for the same instruction more expensive because its going thru the public school route?

some are to severe of an issue to be able to handle in our schools

 

[Krodwhodat]

a quote from the second article
This academic year, Greenwich Public Schools is spending $3.84 million to place 36 special education students in private and sometimes residential institutions. Four of those students moved to Greenwich this year with individualized education plans (IEPs) developed by other districts that required them to be educated at private schools, causing part of that $1 million spike.

“I have no way of anticipating that,” Forde told the Board of Education in January. “We have kids who move into the district with an IEP from another district that has that student attending a school that costs approximately $100,000.”

 

[efil4stnias]

Read the link I posted above

i read the link. So what CT did was institute a program where if the child had a disability, and the public school system could not accomodate, they would foot the bill for out-of-district schooling/instruction or even private schooling for that child?

 

[Krodwhodat]

i read the link. So what CT did was institute a program where if the child had a disability, and the public school system could not accomodate, they would foot the bill for out-of-district schooling/instruction or even private schooling for that child?

correct but they are saying it is federal law which i dont remember in louisiana and the costs are starting to hurt the district schools because so much is spent on those costs that is affecting what they can do in house. people are actually moving to CT for these benefits.

 

[efil4stnias]

a quote from the second article
This academic year, Greenwich Public Schools is spending $3.84 million to place 36 special education students in private and sometimes residential institutions. Four of those students moved to Greenwich this year with individualized education plans (IEPs) developed by other districts that required them to be educated at private schools, causing part of that $1 million spike.

“I have no way of anticipating that,” Forde told the Board of Education in January. “We have kids who move into the district with an IEP from another district that has that student attending a school that costs approximately $100,000.”

yeah thats what i suspected. They didnt think this thru and opened pandoras box. They allowed the schools to milk the system for funding, the parents to demand out-of-district/private schooling, and private entities to provide the necessary instruction.

all of which are designed to make money.

thats the issue. At the heart.

The fact that CT is funding...those folks who provide instruction, schooling etc are bilking the state. It sounds eerily similar to that of a scheme. Phsyche evaluation, IEP ( over the top )....bam....private schooling. Private school says "welcome" - bills state for every dime they spend on the child, including over charged rates on tutoring/instruction, ( but hey thats the going rate excuse), all the while getting paid because its CT law.