An editor's note preceding the story sums up the budgetary dilemma facing the Stamford district :
A seat in a classroom isn't enough for some students, who need extra help to reach their potential. This year, Stamford Public Schools expects to spend $24 million on special education. For a district that relies primarily on taxpayers for funding, it's a fine line to walk, as these children's parents -- who must negotiate a learning curve unique to special education and its legal framework -- sometimes feel their children's needs aren't being fully met.Under state law a child who has special educational needs that are not being adequately met by the public school system can petition to be placed "out of district" in a private school and the home district must pick up the tab.
The cost of sending the neediest outside the district has risen to a net cost of $7 million this year. Meanwhile, more children are sharing assistants, and next year the district may have to find room for another classroom of special needs preschoolers.
At 7 p.m. Tuesday, Stamford's Board of Education plans to discuss special education, both as a general update and with an eye toward bringing back some placed students out of district...
According the article a tuition for an out-of-district student placement generally costs between $40,000 and $70,000 per child. A residential placement can cost as much as $100,000 per child. It all adds up:
These costs are increasing. In 2003-04, the district spent $4.3 million on district tuition. This year, it is budgeted to spend $7 million. These are net amounts, with the state kicking in a share to cover "excess costs," and, this year, will receive about $700,000 in federal stimulus money. The state is expected to provide Stamford with $2.4 million this year. Six years ago, it supplied just over $800,000.
Since 2005-06, state figures show a steady increase in eligible students and total costs.
Stamford's budget is based on having up to 171 students out of district . There are 145 who are attending school outside Stamford right now, but schools officials expect to see the number grow.
I know a Norwalk family with a child who is learning disabled. They are very dissatisfied with the services they are receiving, and are thinking about moving their child to a private school. Part of the problem is communication. After last year's CREC report, Norwalk's Board of Ed should consider holding a meeting similar to Stamford's. At the very least it would give parents the opportunity to speak to the BOE directly about their concerns about the state of special ed in Norwalk.
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I'd like to know how many Norwalk students are placed out of district and what the cost is. Can you find out? You seem to do a better job and are more accessible than The Hour.
ReplyDeleteHow do you get paid? If you had a donation box I would contribute money to help support this effort.
I actually emailed Tony Daddona this morning asking about Norwalk's out of district placements and our overall budget for this. I'll follow up tomorrow if I don't hear back.
ReplyDeleteI actually don't get paid for this blog yet. I plan to seek some sponsors/grants over the next couple of months. Right now I'm working on building up an audience.
I'm a freelancer and do the blog in addition to my other writing assignments. I'll definitely look into the donation box! Thanks for the support.
It has been reported by a dally that there are over 200 special education students in Norwalk.
ReplyDeleteFinding out the dollars involved and where they are being spent is an excellent and resonable pursuit.
What has been occuring is that districts have found it easier to just outsource, with resultant substantial private sector profits, rather than address the issues of providing services in least restrictive enviroments condusive to a healthy normal learning enviroment.
One of the issues is that these outsourced private sector (schools) have not kept up with the demand and have been focused on their profit margins and it could be argued rightly so.
Communication has been and continues to be an issue that must be resolved.
Make no mistake, the childrens voices will be heard.
Its truly sad that while, the (grown ups) battle it out, the children continue to lose.
Does the BOE have earplugs in, or are they being fettered?
Some say that they are lame ducks and at this point just trying to get through the term.
Others believe that the board is on top of things and that they are going nuts because they under gag orders.
Need leadership, apply at 125 East Avenue Norwalk and 165 Capitol Ave Hartford.
The State of Connecticut, up until 2006, compiled statewide Special Education data for all Connecticut districts which it then consolidated in “Special Education Strategic School Profiles”. Special education data for every Connecticut district was disaggregated and explained in detail. This State special education data compared a District to State and DRG (district reference group) averages and it included budget expenditures, CMT/CAPT performance data, prevalence rates, suspension data, staffing information and so on.
ReplyDeleteHere is the link: http://www.csde.state.ct.us/public/der/ssp/sped0506/sped103.pdf. To see detailed information for Out of District placement figures for Norwalk in 2005/06, go to page 4, Tables #8 and #9.
All this data is still collected by the State, by Norwalk and by other districts, the State just no longer compiles it in such easy to read, easily accessible format. Parents, teachers and the community need to be given the information they need to be informed participants. Special education parents, in particular, need to be given the information they need to be able to help their kids--and to help the schools help their kids. There is an urgency to this need for communication that the district simply does not appear to appreciate- I would agree that communication is a very big problem.