The problem with special education in Illinois is not over-funding or over-identification of students with special needs. Amend HB 2808.
State Senator Andy Manar told the Gov. Rauner’s School Funding Reform Commission on January 17 that there was “drastic over-identification.”
-By Bev Johns
On the surface Illinois is engaged in a debate on how to fund Illinois schools. But Illinois House Bill 2808 includes a completely different system for special education.
Is our vision IDEA, the Federal special education law, or House Bill 2808?
Special education or RTI (MTSS)?
Disability or (temporary) differences?
Special Educators or General Educators that do it all?
Continuum of Alternative Placements or full inclusion?
Differing outcomes as individual as an IEP or one outcome for all?
Dedicated funding or funding based on general education?
Special educators or interventionists?
Under-identification or over-identification?
There are some saying students are over-identified for special education in Illinois. State Senator Andy Manar told the Gov. Rauner’s School Funding Reform Commission on January 17 that there was “drastic over-identification”.
NO STUDY confirms that.
Parents, teachers and disability rights advocates say new oversight protocols keep kids from getting services they need, while BGA analysis raises questions about Chicago Public Schools’ claims that minority students are over-identified for special ed.
HB 2808 assumes the problem is over-identification, and offers two solutions:
(1) Special ed funding based on a fixed number of GENERAL education students.
(2) Funds for Interventionists (RTI or MTSS: Response to Intervention or Multi-TieredSystem of Support).
HB 2808 now includes INTERVENTIONISTS based on the assumption that Response The problem with special education in Illinois is not over-funding or over-identification of students with special needs. Amend HB 2808. | Fred Klonsky: