When a teacher has a student they just don't want to deal with, they rush to have him identified as special needs. This gets the student out of the classroom, and absolves the teacher from failure to produce academic progress.

The key to lowering special ed costs is getting competent teachers in the classroom.

It is unfortunate that we must wait until the State is feeling pinched before we have a meaningful discussion about special education services. This venue leads to only consideration of reduction. The editorial above takes the politically correct position that "...the department must ensure that they don't diminish the rights of students and their families to receive necessary services." But later in the piece they say "If a student is improperly needing special services, he (I'm assuming the king's "he") may be placed in a classroom where he is not challenged academically." It goes on to say: "Worse it is hard to shake being identified as a special education student, so these children may never return to a mainstream classroom," Both these premises are blatantly false. The great majority of students never leave their "mainstream classrooms" That was the whole point of PL94-142 and all it's succeeding incarnations.

The general public sees special education as a place to dump unruly children, but nothing could be further from the truth. although unruly children, diagnosed with any number of behavior disorders are part of the special education program, even they are often left in mainstream classrooms. Sometimes with an aid, often with medication (too often in this writer's opinion) and occasionally with just a cue from the teacher as outlined in the child's Individualized Educational Plan. These children are only the obvious tip of the proverbial iceberg. children with mild vision problems get glasses, children with hearing problems get hearing aids, and a place closer to the teacher, blind children can get braille textbooks, or braille caps for their computers. The most obvious benefit of special education is the Pupil evaluation piece. Often there is no need to continue beyond this. The child is evaluated by the people who know her best, parents teachers, counselors, even adult friends. People sit around a table and decide what is best for the boy or girl who is also invited to the meeting. These people put their heads together, and attempt to decide what would be helpful in keeping children in the least restrictive enviornment. For taxpayers this should be a positive thing, because the least restrictive enviornment is also generally the less expensive program.

Finally, it is incumbent on the State legislature, the Governor, and our congressional delegation to make the Federal Government pay at least the 55% of the costs associated with this program as the promised in 1976. If fact, it should be paid retroactively to the first day that the first student in the State

was classified "special ed"

Special Ed regs are out of control. As a recently retired classroom teacher, I can vouch for this. Firstly, Spec Ed students are indeed Special, and we are required by law, to provide that a level of education that only kings and princes receive. In my district, the ratio of $ per pupil for a Spec Ed student was 6 times as much as a "regular" student. Classroom teachers are forced to provide individualized programs, due to mainstreaming, that are set by a PET, usually made of people who have no clue how a classroom runs. Teachers opinions are rarely accepted. Many times a teacher has 20-30 students in the classroom, with perhaps 10 special ed students, each with their own program. Who loses? The regular student. The regular student who will be the people who will run business, work, and be productive citizens. Some of the Spec Ed students will be, but not many. Most students I saw go through the system, are now on welfare, yet they had all the specialists, and sometimes the best education, in the form of one on one, student to teacher ratio. Special Ed is a system that now supports numerous, well-paid specialists, like Occupational Therapists, Speech Therapists, etc, who waltz in the school, and perform their magic - wrong. Most of these specialists, although well-intentioned, rarely provide the miracle people expect in Spec Ed. The massive amounts of paperwork is set up, to "pretend" these students are improving, when in fact, the improvement is marginal for most students.

It is a boondoggle. Well intentioned, yes, but now parents come in, demanding their "rights", and often threatening lawsuits if the school doesn't comply. . Do people realize the cost of one special ed student who has to be placed in an institution, at the local taxpayers cost? The last I heard, it was over $40,000 per year!! One student!

The amount of $ being placed into special ed simply does not match what society expects, as most of these students, will be dependent, in one form or another on the welfare system. I liken your average student, with no learning issues, to our middle class today - they carry the burden, and receive no special services whatsoever.

ConnieD wrote:

"Special Ed regs are out of control. As a recently retired classroom teacher,

"Classroom teachers are forced to provide individualized programs, due to mainstreaming, that are set by a PET, usually made of people who have no clue how a classroom runs"

The PET's I attended generally had a principle, the school guidance counselor, the child's primary teacher, the parent, and me, the educational advocate. I can't speak for the parent, but assumedly, the principal the school guidance counselor and the teacher know how the classroom runs.

@Connie and @Harry~~Good Stuff from Both

Now I would like to Throw in as Someone that has worked with Special Needs

In A School Set up that was just all Special Needs Abused adolescent Kids~~ just full of Acting Out Behaviors

I have been to many many PET`s also

I have spent 1000`s of hours just talking to the kids about how they feel about being slow for whatever reason in a regular class setting.

And most All say, It works much more for my Digtiny when I have a chance to learn with my peers

And Then if and when I can move on to A mainstream environment.

I feel then I can stand equal with All

Again that depends when and if I can maintain my Dignity

I will always feel that mainstreaming does not work for a lot of the Kids Involved

And mainstreaming does take away a lot from the average Joe

And Then do not get me started on the acting out kids that cost us all so much and will almost never be helped out

In this our current system~~Yes It is a hard one~~I wish I had an answer but I do NOT

But I do feel the Cost of Education should be more equal across the board.

And Do Not get me Started on how Mean and Bigoted our Kids are Today

In our mainstreamed Schools~~Just Do NOT<<

Looks like Snyder-3 spent a career nursing at the Special Ed mammary. No doubt quite lucrative for very little real effort. Part of the problem, with a vested interest in avoiding a solution.

JWBooth~~Sometimes you sound like someone I used to Know

I sometimes wonder what ever happened to that very compassionate person

But alas JW you would have to change a lot to be that person.

Most of your comments are just so flippant

Maybe life has been to hard on ya

Not every teacher is cut out to teach special ed children and not every child should be mainstreamed.

My now adult child was one of those special ed kids that was a success story. This kid had been in speech therapy since age of 4 due to a significant language disability. When this kid was 6, we were told that statistically speaking, this kid would never complete school and would essentially be unable to hold a job etc. The regular classroom teachers were clueless on how to teach a child with these problems and resorted just ignoring the kid.

Fortunately, the school system was very supportive and by the age of 8 a Special Ed teacher came into this childs life. Someone that finally accepted the child and did not consider the kid to be a drain or a bother. She taught the kid how to read, do math, write...all things the experts said would never happen.

As an adult, this wonderful person is independent, holds a steady job and pays taxes contributing to the very system that gave a little kid that could not understand an opportunity. This adult today still remembers this very special teacher with great fondness and recognizes that thanks to her, life is good.

JWBooth wrote:

"Looks like Snyder-3 spent a career nursing at the Special Ed mammary."

Nope, all volunteer work. Never got one special ed dollar!

ElectraGlide wrote:

"Now I would like to Throw in as Someone that has worked with Special Needs

In A School Set up that was just all Special Needs Abused adolescent Kids~~ just full of Acting Out Behaviors"

Where? name the school. I'm sure they would like the publicity. I probably got at least one foster child from there.

Also, although I have worked with children for over 40 years, in various settings, and have had over 100 in my home, I must say I have never heard one child say the words "dignity" "mainstreaming" or "peers" unless they were fed them.

ALSO, for those who say "mainstreaming isn't for everyone" Read this thread, and many others. The world is a harsh place, full of people who would push past a disabled person for a better place in line.

When I was young, I couldn't read at all! I had classic Dyslexia, and was unable to learn in the standard way. When I was 11, I met a teacher in New York City (where I lived) who taught me how to read using a mirror. I took a lot of razzing in those days when I would read slow and haltingly the children would laugh, and some even said "what's that baby doing in our class?" Yeah, they were cruel, and yeah I hated going to school, BUT that experience gave me the strength to meet these children later in the workplace, and hold my own. We alternate between coddling children and flaying them.

Children must learn early how to stand up for themselves, how to take responsibility for who they are, If they don't, then they will grow up to be cowards who write nasty things on web pages, using "handles" to mask who they truly are.

Now Harry@Don`t get Mad at Me

I am a Devils Advocate for the Cause

And You probably haven`t seen my post to you yesterday

But I am thinking of doing a little of what you have done.

As far as Feeding them words like Dignity

No they do not use the word peers / as you know they use words like friend or Bro or Sista

You gotta tell me how you help kids with that w / o talking with them about what IT is.

Name the school, Glad To In Person, phone or e-mail.

Mainstreaming is not always beneficial Harry

And you know I said at times.

And there is a big Cost Factor that as you said you do not believe in Institutional charity

So Harry@ Yes I can see where razing helped you out

I do not feel that ALL kids are like you

And razing can lead to many many more problems as you know

So what now Harry@ I respect all you have done

People often make the mistake of believing me to be a liberal, because of my background with children, and my beliefs about mainstreaming, far from "liberal" I believe in the "let 'em sink or swim" approach. I say give them the tools, keep them with the crowd, give them a safe place to live and talk about their difficulties, and most often they learn to swim. For those who do not, well, eliminating the weak makes the heard stronger.

These children are not going to live with my generation, or even yours. They will be with their peers, till the next generation buries them. I believe it to be a mistake to institutionalize ANYONE!! UNLESS it is the intention of society to leave them there for life... and that doesn't mean 20 years, it means they only come out in a body bag. My experience with institutions is people get worse in their care.

In Maine I worked for Homestead, Bancroft North, AMHI children's ward, Jackson Brook hospital, and DHS. I volunteered at The DOE, as an educational advocate, at Old Town Regional as a student aid, and at MFPA. Nothing (IMHO) particularly deserving of "respect" just jobs much like the one where I repaired looms at a textile mill. Now that was a tuff job! Finally only dogs get mad, and I'm not a dog.

I'm not sure how an article about special eduction during into a debate about institutionalization (mostly because you're postings are too long and I'm not going to read them). If we need to make cuts to education, it should be to the salary and benefits provided to general education teachers, who make good money (despite what their union would have us believe).

While we're on the subject, Bangor is not the place to raise a child who needs special education services, because the school system here is rigid and designed to teach compliance rather than thought. I would strongly recommend a move to Hamden if you have a school aged child with special needs, you're far more likely to get services without having to resort to legal action.

Harry I again agree with so much you say

I think were we get of the track

Is you talk a lot of kids that have had indivigedual attention like living with you

I am talking about kids that have NO real close support

Other than the very parents that abused them

That IS sick as far as I am concerned

I still think there is a different way to do it for a lot of kids like I am talking about

I worked for OHI and NFI

On the firing line for I know you know what I mean

I am not talking the tradional Institution

I am talking about Mainstreaming

Talking about seperating the degree of special needs for awhile

Until they get caught up

The Cost Harry is One heck of a lot

The way IT IS being done NOW

I pay for that and so do you.

And so do people that will never have KIDS

Bangorian wrote:

"I'm not sure how an article about special eduction during into a debate about institutionalization (mostly because you're postings are too long and I'm not going to read them)"

Then you are not that interested, I would suggest you move on to the next article discussing American Idol. Responding to a post you admit you have not read, is plain silly.

We have the highest percentage of special ed kids in the nation for good reason. Many parents in Maine seem to believe that their child deserves a college education. They cannot accept that little Billy or Sarah does not have the ability or the inclination to go to college. Therefore, everything done wrong by Billy or Sarah is blamed on the teacher. Personal responsibility is tossed out the window along with any measurable standards. Billy will achieve A's and B's regardless of his achievement level or it is the systems fault. Bad behavior equals attention deficit disorder. Can't read and he need special attention. Doesn't wish to do the work and he is put into alternative ed, where he can do anything he wishes to do and get those A's and B's. If the teacher could teach, little Billy could learn and grow up to be a brain surgeon. School administrations have learned not to rock the boat. If you stand up to these politically correct parents and their advisers, you will be fired. It is much easier for the administrators to control the teachers than to buck the system. One of the above writers is correct when he says that we are perpetuating the welfare state by passing these kids on with A's and B's and c's when they really deserve F's. Failure is part of life and so is losing. Maine has the highest percentage of kids in special ed for a reason. We have also got the highest percentage of our population of food stamps...fully 22%. In spite of this, we are screaming everyday on TV that 150,000 Maine children are going to bed hungry every night. Maine is a State full of losers. We have been electing compassionate democrats for almost 40 years, while at the same time electing republicans that are afraid to stand up to this politically correct society they have built. Here is the solution. Demand that people take personal responsibility for their own lives; force parents to hold their children to measurable standards; make sure that parents understand and accept that their child may not be achieving because of lack of ability or self motivation; make sure administrators support teacher efforts to force children to achieve to get good grades; and make parents understand that learning begins in the home. In the classroom, on athletic fields, and in life their will always be winners and losers. Human beings are animals and they are not all created equal. Under our constitution, they can only expect to receive equal opportunity. If these things are not acceptable, then keep on giving money, and food, and health care, and heat, and housing, and every other benefit under the sun to everyone. The numbers will grow larger as long as we keep electing compassionate democrats and weak republicans to lead, and the excuses for the lack of personal responsibility at every age will continue.

"The numbers will grow larger as long as we keep electing compassionate democrats and weak republicans to lead, and the excuses for the lack of personal responsibility at every age will continue."

Richard M. Nixon's administration conceived the Special Education act (PL94-142) The Democratic House and senate signed off on it, and Gerald Ford signed it into law. In it's first decade it saved over a hundred million dollars in institutional costs. It is a good law, which in some cases is misused. .. show me a law in these United States which is not.

...and please tell me how a child who is born blind, deaf, delayed, Cerebral Palsied, unable to walk, speak, without limbs or with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome should take personal responsibility for his or her condition?

It is important to NOT make anymore cuts to special education services Period! Our state does not receive adequate federal funds as it is to provide the much needed supports to students. (We should call President Obama and ask for those funds Now if we are in such a crisis) AN important Bailout!Special education services are not meant to be an institutionalized setting but rather an opportunity for children who learn differently to be able to learn. Having had children who received appropriate special education services I do know it does not always cost a ton of money to educate children who need these services.

I do know however schools spend an unprecedented amount of money paying for lawyers and consultants to educate them on ways to not find children eligible for supportive services which are usually much needed. Unfortunately some teachers and schools feel like only kings and queens receive special education services, I feel sorry for the people who feel this way. If it was your son or daughter who had a learning disability which made them act out in frustration because he or she could not keep up, I bet you might feel different about special education services. This is not an issue to take lightly with the current dropout crisis in our state we need to come together and support all special education services in Maine and not look for ways to cut them!