I know this is not a unique dilemma, but it might be my dilemma, will be my dilemma.
13 April 2010
Budget cuts
I started a post yesterday and maybe I will finish it, but for now . . . . the Madison school board is proposing a budget that will cut special ed by half. In Franklin School, it means that three aids and one teacher will be cut, in another school all of the aids, 10 in number, will be cut and the five teachers will be reduced to 3. From what I see, the aids at Franklin are all busy, very busy. Very rarely does one have time for tasks like helping shelve books in the library, which is not a useless project by any means. What will this mean to Julia -- yes, I am very selfish. What will happen to Braeden who also needs a lot of one-on-one help? What will happen the the classroom where kids with needs are placed with 16, 18, or 24 others and there is only one teacher to manage all of the students. This year there have been many times when Julia's behavior has resulted in her being taken out of the classroom by a special ed teacher or aide, while the main teacher, Beth, goes on with her lesson for the rest of the classroom. Inclusion, which is strongly preached in Madison, will break down. How long will it be before the parents of standard students complain vigorously and correctly that teacher time is focused on behavior of kids with needs ignoring kids who only need teaching.
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8 comments:
I'm more selfish - all i can think about are poor teachers who are miserable and counting down the years until their retirement because this system has become so awful with too many students - with special needs and without - all crammed into one classroom!! (AKA the situation in NYC!!)
Embarrassed to share that we're in private schools due to this very issue. Kevin's class in public had three students who had very special needs and there was no one to help the teacher. Sucks and there has to be a solution to our public school situation; wish I knew what it was.
Ashamed to be one of those families.
No Traci, no embarrassment needed here. Cheshire went all the way through in private schools. Not because of special ed kids in her classes but the school were just not going to meet her needs. The problem remains that the school districts cannot preach total inclusion and then leave it all up to a single classroom teacher. Of course, it is about the bucks! Special ed teachers and aides cost money. If you put all the special ed kids in one class, you need a lot of help and I imagine that it is really hard to mask that fact. But divide the kids up, one or two to a classroom, and the intensity diminishes enough to forget about need for help for the single teacher. I am sure this is a cycle. And it needs breaking!
I thought it was more than preaching inclusion...I thought there was a legal mandate to provide the necessary support?
Carol Brumer Gliksman
I thought this issue of providing inclusion was more than just preaching...isn't this a legal mandate? I'm shocked that Wisconsin is budgetarily in a situation similar to Illinois. Especially when it comes to education, Wisconsin is usually at the forefront! It always amazes me that the politicians are willing to balance the budget on the backs of the most vulnerable citizens.
Carol Brumer Gliksman
Having been a teacher in a special school before the days of inclusion, where there was a special ed teacher and a teacher's aide for about 8 students (in Tasmania, Australia) and then having been a regular teacher in a school with included children with special needs, I despair at it always coming down to money and not about the needs of the children and the teachers.
I have always felt that the best solution for everyone may be to have most, but not all children with speial needs in a special clasroom in a regular school. They can then be integrated when it is appropriate and still have time with a fully trained special ed teacher and aide.
I don't know if this is happening anywhere in the world these days. As for putting children in private schools : one has to look at what an individual child needs. If you choose to spend your money that way (others have flashy cars and holidays) that is a legitamate choice.
However, most people just cannot afford private education. We MUST make sure the education in our public schools is excellent.
Marianne
Yes, it is required by law. The federal IDEA mandates what is done for special ed students, but what happens when there are budget shortfalls? This is a real question and I don't know the answer. We see what happens in NYC -- just ask Cheshire, but what about Madison. I guess I will find out.
I am sure that a lot of the problems for students, and teachers as well, is when parents do not advocate for their children.
And hi, Carol!
It IS a matter of money. It takes money,lots of it, to maintain good schools. Some kids are easy, add water and stir. They learn no matter what. Some kids have learning challenges, they need lots of direction and specific approaches to learn.
The public schools are mandated to teach all kinds of kids, easy and challenging. They need money to do it. I think it's called taxes and nobody likes to hear that part.
Cathy
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