Question about CAG report on SPED
Question:
The CAG report identified three areas with fast rising costs that have become "budget busters", line items that are causing cuts in other areas to balance the budget. Two of the three are in the Special Education department. The first is "out of district placements", which are private special education schools, day schools, residential programs, and therapeutic programs, that Newton pays the tuition for students who could not have their needs met within the public school system. The second is Special Education Aides, because of the rising numbers of students who require aides in the classroom to successfully access the curriculum in the public schools.
How would you propose reigning in these costs, without forcing cuts in other areas? If you do not propose reigning in these costs, what suggestions do you have for other sources of funding?
I was impressed with the thoughtfulness and comprehensive nature of the CAG report. My goal is to make our program and services more effective; while cost is an important consideration it cannot be the primary driver.
Regarding of out of district placement, there may be hidden opportunities. Newton has over 2000 students on IEPs with a variety of needs. We have enough students who require significant interventions that we can afford to develop centers of excellence in several need groups. We should then be able to take out of district placements from others and use that revenue to offset other placements we may still need to make.
Growth in aides is related to our emphasis on neighborhood inclusion. Many students thrive in this model, but not all. We may find that the number of aides stabilizes and more students are optimally served under a “hybrid” approach if we centralize some services where appropriate.
The analysis in the CAG report is excellent. Please read pages 63-96 if you have not done so. The CAG noted that we do not measure results (page 85) and recommended that we establish our own metrics and partner with the Special Education PAC to evaluate our programs and practices (page 89). We should feel empowered to act.
In the words of the CAG, "efforts should not be focused on compliance issues, but rather on substantive issues of quality, the delivery of services and areas for innovation and improvement, and collaboration across the district." Teaming up with SPED PAC and other stakeholders with domain expertise should produce a result that is equal or superior to what might come from a paid consultant. Together we can make our schools work effectively for all students across all subjects.
Dan Proskauer
Candidate, parent, neighbor
www.danforward4sc.org
The CAG report identified three areas with fast rising costs that have become "budget busters", line items that are causing cuts in other areas to balance the budget. Two of the three are in the Special Education department. The first is "out of district placements", which are private special education schools, day schools, residential programs, and therapeutic programs, that Newton pays the tuition for students who could not have their needs met within the public school system. The second is Special Education Aides, because of the rising numbers of students who require aides in the classroom to successfully access the curriculum in the public schools.
How would you propose reigning in these costs, without forcing cuts in other areas? If you do not propose reigning in these costs, what suggestions do you have for other sources of funding?
I was impressed with the thoughtfulness and comprehensive nature of the CAG report. My goal is to make our program and services more effective; while cost is an important consideration it cannot be the primary driver.
Regarding of out of district placement, there may be hidden opportunities. Newton has over 2000 students on IEPs with a variety of needs. We have enough students who require significant interventions that we can afford to develop centers of excellence in several need groups. We should then be able to take out of district placements from others and use that revenue to offset other placements we may still need to make.
Growth in aides is related to our emphasis on neighborhood inclusion. Many students thrive in this model, but not all. We may find that the number of aides stabilizes and more students are optimally served under a “hybrid” approach if we centralize some services where appropriate.
The analysis in the CAG report is excellent. Please read pages 63-96 if you have not done so. The CAG noted that we do not measure results (page 85) and recommended that we establish our own metrics and partner with the Special Education PAC to evaluate our programs and practices (page 89). We should feel empowered to act.
In the words of the CAG, "efforts should not be focused on compliance issues, but rather on substantive issues of quality, the delivery of services and areas for innovation and improvement, and collaboration across the district." Teaming up with SPED PAC and other stakeholders with domain expertise should produce a result that is equal or superior to what might come from a paid consultant. Together we can make our schools work effectively for all students across all subjects.
Dan Proskauer
Candidate, parent, neighbor
www.danforward4sc.org