Denied Special Education Services: Parents Push Back for Students
The outrage concerning diminishing services in special education has recently surfaced in in three different places—Chicago, Fairfield, CT, and the State of Alabama. There are interesting similarities, and these places are certainly not alone when it comes to special education cuts.
NOTE: If you would like to share what is happening to special education where you live, let me know. Feel free to comment. Or, I will post it. You can also write about it if you would like. I won’t use your name unless you give me permission. Let’s put together all the scenarios and shenanigans surrounding harmful special education cuts and how they are hurting children and families. What are the similarities? How are parents pushing back?
Also, if you know of attorneys who deal with special education cases, let me know that too. I’ll add it to the website.
In Chicago, Mayor Rahm Emanuel, and his team, are cutting 1,058 school staff and will also refuse to fill 350 other vacancies. A big concern is that those bearing the biggest brunt of the cuts are involved with special education.
Jesse Ruiz, the interim Chicago Public School CEO said the cuts were “painful and intolerable” but blamed the state. I really hate the business-like term CEO when talking about schools. But I digress.
Ruiz further worried everyone by saying Chicago Public Schools would move special education students out of their special cluster programs into neighborhood schools. The concern is that they will be pulling students with disabilities out of special education and putting them into regular education classes.
Is this allowed on the Individual Educational Plan (IEP)? Are they breaking the law surrounding Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)? Also, how many real educators, including those with preparation to work with students with disabilities, and Denied Special Education Services: Parents Push Back for Students:
