Not-So-Special Education | Perspective Magazine

By Theresa Gebert

There are more students with learning difficulties in public schools in the United States than ever before. Whereas parents who sought a decent education for their children with special needs used to be limited to expensive private schools or homeschooling, all public schools are now required to provide personalized or special education for students with qualifying disabilities. Yet even though the proper legislation is finally in place, the education itself rarely meets these standards, and public schools still struggle to adequately educate those students that do not fit into the standard education norm.

My brother, who has Down syndrome, attended a public high school that boasts a 13:1 student to teacher ratio, has one of the highest SAT score averages in the state, and spends more than $17,000 per student every year. What my family soon learned ? the hard way ? was that statistics such as these do not guarantee that a school will have a strong special education program. My brother was one of a dozen students with learning difficulties in his class, which included those with educable mental disabilities, but also emotional and behavioral disturbances. An average 13:1 student to teacher ratio may be a luxury for students without these difficulties, but it is certainly inadequate for students with such diverse yet also specialized educational needs.

Following the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA), enacted in 1975, my brother?s high school did offer individualized education, but there was only one manager in charge of over two- dozen students? Individualized Education Programs (IEPs). Even with extremely proactive and highly involved parents, my brother?s IEP consistently faced obstacles in fitting his particular needs. For example, he required special attention in English and writing, but was exceling in math, so we wanted him to move up a level in that class; however, his IEP remained inflexible due to limited staff.

My brother is lucky; he left that school this past year to attend a pricy private school in Connecticut (my family lives in New Jersey). He is extremely happy and is on track to living on his own and maintaining a steady job. Students with special needs who lack such financial or parental support generally must bide their time at schools that continue to fail to educate them or prepare them to live and work independently.

Of course, the point is not merely that my brother?s high school has a poor special education program, but that special education in public schools in the United States at large is not so special after all. The U.S. government must have come to a similar conclusion, because at the beginning of this month, nearly two-dozen states (including Massachusetts) will receive millions to fund improved recruitment, training, and retention of special educators. Though I am certainly glad to see the issue of special education receiving such attention, all I can now hope for is that the intended beneficiaries of these well-intended laws, regulations, and funds will eventually receive the truly special education they deserve.

Source: http://www.perspy.com/?p=1139

nba all star game shark tank john wall gordon hayward gas prices rising stars challenge star trek 2