School officials fight for ESDs (50% CUTS to Special Education)

[Snoutport]

Source: Mail Tribune Newspaper

Southern Oregon school officials have banded together to oppose an Oregon Senate bill that would allow school districts to opt out of education service districts.

Senate Bill 250 would allow school districts to secede from their regional service districts, which provide special education, migrant education, technical services and professional development. The bill would entitle districts that opt out to receive their prorated share of state funding now budgeted for operation of ESDs.

"I would be really against it because it would hurt districts, particularly small districts," said Don Alexander, superintendent of the rural Prospect School District.

Read more: http://www.mailtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20110224/NEWS/102240304/-1/NEWSLETTER100

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Nobody is paying attention but here in Oregon the legislature is pushing two bills that will gut how special ed students are served in our state. One bill gets rid of the ESD system--the entity that employs the special ed teachers, nurses, speech teachers, autism specialists, behavior specialists,etc.

We were told today that if one of the bills pass we are closed. If the other passes we will be cut 25% next year and to 50% the year after.

ESD classes are full of the state's most severely handicapped young people. We run the classes in the jails, the hospitals, we have the severely emotionally disturbed who are violent and have major behavior issues. We run two high schools for gang kids, violent offenders and sexual predators and we have almost every medically fragile kid in our city.

The ESD systems provide very skilled teachers and assistants and behavior specialists who are trained how to help these kids and, with luck and perseverance, teach them how to overcome some of their violent behavior. I have worked for three school districts and one ESD. I can tell you, the ESD is BY FAR the best system I have seen. In some classes you have one or two kids from each of the areas five districts. Kids who have similar needs so the districts basically only pay for their fraction of the class. Instead of five districts having to have a special medically fragile classrooms with only 1 or 2 students but a teacher, an assistant, a nurse, an occupational therapist, a speech therapist, behavior specialist, autism specialist...the ESD sets up a room from all the districts and our teachers and therapists (all professionals with the extra tough students)see to the students. The districts just have to pay for a slot instead of an entire classroom.

If these bills pass all of these programs will be CLOSED and those kids will be sent back to their neighborhood schools. We have sexual predators who have already molested other children. They will be sent back to their neighborhood schools and the parents of the other kids in the school don't even have to be notified. We're talking elementary school all the way up to age 21.

I have been hit, kicked, bit, had a chair smashed over my back, staplers thrown at my head and I've had students try to stab me with scissors, a knife, a sharp ruler. I've had chairs, tables, books, a globe, and other items thrown at me. These kids, whom I love and love working with, are an incredibly tough population to work with sometimes...and sometimes they do things that we need to protect other children from.

The scariest part is...before a student gets into the ESD system they have to have gone through every possible option at their home district. That means they have already been in every single possible regular or special ed class before the district can send them to us. That means that several teachers have tried and given up and said, "this student is too dangerous to be in this class", the principals at every school they sent the kid to has also agreed, as has the district and the parents by sending the student to an ESD. What happens when one of those kids hurts someone? (picture a very angry 16 year old with no idea of right or wrong...and they are mad enough to hurt you) What happens when the injured person gets a lawyer? Every single professional involved has agreed that the student should not have been in general ed in the first place. (all over-ruled by the legislators who have never met the student) How much money does a teacher with a broken arm win for being forced to teach a child they already know they can't handle? How much money does a family get when their kindergarten girl gets beaten up or molested by a six grader who is a known sexual predator or violent offender? This decision could bankrupt the public education system in Oregon and could ruin the lives of an awful lot of people.

So, that's what's happening in Oregon when it comes to the nationwide attack on teachers and education. If this passes a 25% cut to my district next year and another 25% cut the year after that. None of the money being shuffled out of the ESD special ed funding is required to be spent on regional services. Who knows how the state or district will decide to spend it. (or what corporation to give it to as a tax cut...) The worst thing is they are packaging it as a money saving device that will give districts more control and money. But it means that 50% of the special ed teachers at my district are less than two years away from the unemployment line.

[msongs]

1. SpecEd is a massively underfunded FEDERAL mandate for which schools are forced to

provide the services but the FEDS do not kick in all the money needed so schools have to take money out of regular ed services to cover the differences.

[Snoutport]

19. I agree with you

i do fundraising all the time just to cover buying extra food and supplies for my class. over 1/2 my kids are in foster care!! they don't have a penny left over at the end of the month for school supplies.

[CreekDog]

25. that comes off as rather right wing

"unfunded mandates".

if it's the right thing to do, your state pays for it, whether with their own money or with federal money.

[lumberjack_jeff]

36. And we all know that the parents of special ed students don't pay local school taxes, right?

I see this a lot. It is as if we should be grateful that school districts consent to educate Sped students.

How much do the FEDS kick in to educate general ed students?

In 2005, in Washington, each local school district got $4237 from the state for each student. For students with an IEP, the local district got an additional $3679. For students with extraordinary needs, (and once the school has demonstrated that they've spent all their Sped funding) safety net funding is available. Last I heard, that state safety net funding is never depleted.

The issue is that the federal government hasn't fulfilled its promise to the states to fully fund this requirement. Local districts do get the money - it doesn't shortchange local districts.

Schools blame shortfalls on special ed students without ever attempting to demonstrate that they've spent their general ed allocation on their behalf.

[jody]

2. A decade ago for every $11 spent on special ed, we spent 2 cents on gifted. I wish we

would invest in the future and educate the scientist and mathematicians who will lead us into the 22nd century.

[phylny]

3. As a speech-language pathologist, and the mother of three,

one of whom was gifted, I disagree. Our oldest daughter, who was labeled "gifted and talented" in elementary school, did just fine in her public high school, and was graduated from the University of Virginia with a B.A. and a B.S. The money spent on her was fine. The children who need special education need the most support, because they will face an uphill climb in life all of their lives.

[jody]

5. So what science or math degree did your gifted daughter earn? nt

[phylny]

10. Bachelor of Science in Engineering, Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy,

and a minor in Civil Engineering.

[jody]

14. Sounds like the BS in Engineering will open jobs, I wish all gifted students had parents and schools

that helped them grow up to their potential as happened with your daughter.

Sadly I know that's not true.

[midnight armadillo]

22. Wrong!

It's the Philosophy degree that will make the longest lasting impression on the young woman's career and life. Studying philosophy makes a person a sharp thinker and debater and cultivates careful reasoning and writing skills. The engineering degree is the bonus degree.

[Snoutport]

24. i have an etching of Plato on the wall next to me....

so I think you might just be right!

[Iris]

38. wonderful response!

n/t

[Turbineguy]

33. Engineer-Philosopher

(or the other way around)

Nice!

One of my engineering colleagues started out with a degree in philosophy.

[No Elephants]

21. S/he said daughter "was graduated from the University of Virginia with a B.A. and a B.S."

A B.S. is a science degree.

[Snoutport]

23. Yay for speech teachers!

I have foUR students this year using voice output devices! Thank goodness I have such a great speech teacher or we'd be lost!

[CreekDog]

26. how about we spend $10.98 more on all the others as well

and *not* cut special education funding.

it's the right thing to do, but maybe we don't do the right thing here anymore if it involves spending more money on people rather than wars.

[boppers]

28. I have this to say about that (ed funding for the abnormal):

People far outside the range of normal do need funds for them, this is true. In the school system I grew up in, gifted funding was *part of* special ed. When somebody is 86 IQ points away from normal, be they an IQ of 186 or 14, their reality, and their needs, are very different, from most people.

However, their needs are not equal, even though the "difference from normal" is.

[lumberjack_jeff]

37. What's "abnormal" is some people's capacity for douchebaggery. n/t

[jillan]

4. Another example of screwing over the least among us.

My daughter just graduated high school, she has special needs. I had to fight for everything.

What do these politicians think should happen to these kids?????? It makes me physically ill to read this.

You are a very special person to work with the most involved kids. Thank you for what you do. :hug:

[Snoutport]

15. I hope you have had some good teachers

I really work hard for my kids but every year I meet parents who are just beat down and exhausted from having to fight for everything. I hope it gives you some faith to know there are teachers like me who work really hard WITH the family. REALLY REALLY REALLY hard.

I always value what my families have to say. They are the knowledgeable ones. It doesn't mean that they don't need help or need some guidance sometimes to change habits or to learn how to redo some things to get the kids to change some behavior. But I'm upfront about that and I'm willing to teach the parents and make them charts and supply them with coupons. (I give parents computer coupons. If their kid does something great at home (or there chores, or whatever) then they can sign a coupon. Student brings it to school and gets computer time (or recess, or whatever). Just working with parents with a system like that can make a world of difference at home and school and it always forms a bond as a team with the family.

Anyhoo...I rant. But I feel for you and your sruggle. I hope you are in a good transition program for 18-21 year olds. Don't give up fighting! I have transition kids so I see a huge change as they mature. You will see some independence and individuality forming and you'll probably see a lot of old patterns falling away. It is a really interesting time but it really gives a lot of parents a lot of peace seeing their kids kind of settle in and grow up a bit. All that hard work you struggled with when she was 4 and 5 and the continued fight really starts to pay off at 20 and 21. :0)

My best.

[jwirr]

6. I understand why they are bitching - the feds do not pay their share.

However, I also remember why we were finally allowed to get our children into public schools instead of parent run centers. It had a lot to do with the fact that all children are guaranteed so many years of education. The parents of special ed children merely pointed out that they paid the same taxes as everyone else but their children did not even get even one day in the schools. Yes they spend more money on these students but that money was earmarked for them originally for their care in institutions. The feds would pay a certain amount and that money from institutions would follow the client with special needs to pay for some of the states share. Unfortunately over the years it was just lumped into the general school money.

So if they want them out of the schools then parents should be able to take their tax money and the waiver money from the institutional care to care for their own children. There are going to be no winners in this argument.

[MichiganVote]

7. I get the problem and I want kids w/disabilities to have support--BUT

there is a disproportionate problem going on in this. It has been a problem for a long time in education. And the problem is this: Districts have been paying more with less to receive these services for their kids. However, every year the districts are seeing a decline in what their dollars buy. Whereas Districts have special ed. classes with as many as 18-20 disabled kids and no aide, the ESD or ISD will have 7 kids to a class with two aides and one teacher and the kind of support services all kids should have.

So there is a pond and the water is drying up for all the lions that are coming to drink. And you might not agree with me but believe me when I tell you that in some locale, the ESD's have been living high off the hog and they are not going to be able to do that anymore.

[Snoutport]

8. Low on the hog, maybe

I'm not sure how high on the hog you think the ESDs are.

30 years ago these violent kids would have been institutionalized. Reagan closed the institutions so the kids went to their districts who couldn't handle them. The ESD system is in place to help with kids like this. If by "High on the Hog" you mean when the students behavior means he has to have a one-on-one assistant the ESD actually staffs them that way. In my old district I had SIX students in my room who were "one-on-one" students because they were so violent. The district staffed me with 3 assistants, all of whom were grandmas, two of whom were injured. I had the crap beat out of me every day trying to protect my assitants.

Now I am at an ESD where, if the legally binding paperwork says "one-on-one" that student is staffed according to the law. If that is what you mean by high on the hog, yeah, they keep in compliance of the law.

I work in a regular school district building. They have sexual predators in their program and medically fragile students. over 50 kids milling around....on Friday they had four assistants out sick. As a cost cutting measure they don't get substitutes...so there were just a handful of staff watching 50 kids, some who are medically fragile and some who are dangerous.

Staffing classrooms at a safe level is NOT high on the hog. It's the moral, ethical and legal thing to do.

[MichiganVote]

12. The districts are dealing with the same problem

[Snoutport]

13. yeah--I'm at an ESD but we work for the districts

All of my work is with the districts. I know how badly they are hurting and it is truly criminal. I was told by the director of special ed last for one of the districts last year that they were "collapsing. We can't meet the needs of our students anymore". Imagine how much worse that is going to get when they get the 400 kids we service dumped back into their classrooms.

I'm just hoping I'll be able to find a job. Even though I was a finalist for teacher of the year last year they've only hired four teachers since they hired me so I'll probably be cut next year when the first 25% cut goes through. In my city you can't even sign up to be a sub anymore (teacher or assistant) they have so many people.

I'm watching the paper now for non-educational jobs because if they pass this, there will be hundreds of special ed teachers looking for jobs.

[MichiganVote]

16. Its less about the degree and more about the skills roster you can illustrate

Be of good cheer.

And yes, the districts are collapsing which I happen to believe is what the elites want anyway. Trouble is, as usual, they are long on ideas and short on pragmatics. Whole lotta lawsuits yet to come. The public doesn't even know what is going to hit them yet. We are in the precursor period of the foreclosure of the "free and appropriate public education".

[Snoutport]

20. very good points

and very scary!

[wordpix]

17. and let me add this about the expensive transport and private schools

My small town pays a huge amount to bus students to faraway private schools, and it's not just the transportation costs but the private school costs taxpayers must shoulder. There has to be a better way that is more cost efficient. I can understand paying for students to attend a school for the deaf or the blind, but kids with learning disabilities should be taught on site since, with competent teachers and tutors, these students do not need to go to faraway private schools. I have worked in private schools and some are special schools or have special programs for students with learning disabilities, but these programs are not so "special" that they couldn't be replicated in the public schools for a lower cost than private school tuition + transportation faraway.

[Snoutport]

18. WIth Violent Offenders?

Last year I had a student attack me. He was taller and stronger than me. He grabbed me by the ear and tried to rip it off of my head. I held on for over ten minutes while it took THREE GROWN MEN to get him off of me. He bit a hole in my shirt trying to bit me.

You want this happening in the hallway in front of kindergarden aged kids? Some kids are too violent and too dangerous to be in the same room or same school as kids who can't defend themselves.

I had a class of behavior 5 + 6th graders sandwiched between the bathroom and two kindergarten classes. It was terrifying and dangerous. I think you should go take a tour of your city's most violent special ed rooms and then come back and tell me whether you think they should be able to share a bathroom with a five year old.

I would bet that would change your mind.

[TheMadMonk]

9. I'm sorry, but exactly why are we even attempting to play "Normality"...

...with kids (who through no fault of their own) will ONLY ever be a threat to the open community unless their lives are strictly regimented/restricted.

If at age 11 a child is an incorrigible sexual offender who must be kept under constant supervision then why the fuck are they not being HELD under constant supervison? What fucking compassion is there in treating such situation like a game of "keep the toddler out of mummy's makeup" until their 18th birthday, casting them loose and then at the first "adult" infraction, feeding them to the criminal justice system, oftimes unto their death or permanent maiming.

Sad as it may be, sometimes a child is born (or made to be) so broken that there is no reasonable possibility of future redemption. Why should the wider community be forced to accept the risk such individuals represent simply because they have not yet achieved the magical transformative age of eighteen which suddenly makes a person responsible for all the actions they had zero responsibility for a sliver of midnight earlier?

Give the poor bastards every possible luxury, up to and including a gigabit connection to the US Postal Service kiddy porn archives (reputedly the largest in the world) if that's what works to keep them content in their permanent sequestration. Pour every dollar we can into redeeming the redeemable AND into making the lives of the irredeemable as comfortable as possible. But be realistic about what we can and cannot do. Do not EVER simply "write off" the irredeemable, but accept the possibility that some may not, should not, cannot be allowed to "roam free".

The problem with institutions is not the concept but the ultimate execution. It's that people (just like you and I) are such cheap bastards that until someone takes us by the neck and forces our faces into the excrement, we don't (and in fact REFUSE to see) see the conditions which inspired films like "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest." and "Sybil".

We play what amount to outrage games over an "uncle" playing "naughty games" (the vast majority of what is prosecuted as sexual abuse IS NOT full blown (and potentially physically injurous) sexual congress) and then turn around and fight to the death for the "rights of the child" to retain contact with a mother who has repeatedly stood aside whilst an abusive partner has extinquished cigarettes on their child's skin, broken that child's bones, not with a wild and uncontrolled haymaker, but calculatedly over the knee and et-fucking-cetera.

I do believe that we should and must make every reasonable effort (financial and otherwise) to do the best we can by everyone, particularly those amongst up who are burdened with internal hinderances to unfettered function in society. Shower upon them every possible compensation when forced to restrict their activities. But ultimately bear for ourselves the responsibility for applying those restrictions. Not as a vigilante mob bent on vengeance, but as a responsible society seeking just treatment for all.

[Snoutport]

11. Psych centers without counselors!

The mental health center here that serves most of my students just had major budget cuts and got rid of their psychologists. No more counseling or therapy. They have a nurse practitioner now who writes prescriptions. That's it.

Madmonk: it is not all despair though. I have seen some great success stories with students who a lot of people have written off. But there is no fall back after general education since the hospitals are gone. Most of the really tough students end up in locked down group homes at taxpayer expense.

My hope is that they spend the money on these guys while they are young and still able to learn and be trained to fit into society instead of being a burden on it for their entire lives. Cutting special ed at the youth level just means you have to pay much much more to handle them as adults.

[CreekDog]

27. expensive perhaps but way cheaper than a life of prison or institutionalization

:hi:

[Name removed]

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[Name removed]

30. Deleted message

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[Snoutport]

32. You obviously could have used more money spent on your education.

You are so wrong I can't even start. What I do in my job is get them to their best potential. Every independent skill you teach anyone while they are young, the less you have to pay for someone to do it the rest of their lives.

I teach students how to grocery shop and get a bus pass, how to work a volunteer job, I teach them how to cook and how to wash clothes. If no one teaches them how to do those things then society pays someone to do it for them the rest of their lives.

[jillan]

34. Yeah - what a great idea! Lots just lock up all the disabled & treat them like dogs because they are

broken.

I suggest you watch the movie "I Am Sam" and maybe it will help you figure out exactly who the broken people are in our society - hint, it's not the disabled.

[ZombieHorde]

35. I have worked in a few places which involved teaching people with special needs.

Our goals were realistic. We knew most of them would be under closely supervised care for life, but they were still able to learn useful skills.

One guy was unable to learn how to walk, speak, write, etc., because of his intense alcohol fetal syndrome, but we were able to teach him how make the sign-language sign for "eat." He was able to tell us when he was hungry, which made his life a little less frustrating.

[Ilsa]

31. The idiots at state level don't realize that teachers and school nurses

do so much to protect the lives of children with special needs and mental illnesses. For example, one nurse I know had to get approval from the principal to replace a girl's ID lanyard with a clip-on ID badge. She had tried to hang herself in the girl's bathroom with her lanyard last month, but no one thought to take it away from her until someone finally told the nurse about the girl's depression.

Our public schools teach students with some very severe mental disorders, including major depression, schizophrenia, bipolar and other disorders. As a school nurse, I've seen the students who cut themselves and attempt other ways of self-injury. And in Texas, public schools aren't even mandated to have a school nurse in the school district, much less on campus. It's shameful how children are short-shrifted in favor of business.

[Starry Messenger]

39. kicking for all the wonderful sped kids and their parents and teachers.