Wednesday, March 20, 2013

Special Education Staff Being Slashed at High Schools??

What's going on?

Why are High School Special Education departments being cut?

Parents are being told vague things: that both special education teachers and paraeducators are being cut and that resources are being shifted to the elementary schools.

Can anyone provide details on (1) whether these cuts are occurring right now or in the fall (2) when the Board of Education voted to approve this shift (if they did), (3) will this shift compromise the implementation of IEPs in high schools, (4) how will this shift compromise the safety of students with significant intellectual disability, and (5) where exactly in the budget is the documentation for these changes?

Just another day in the life of Josh Starr, equity warrior, I guess. Or is he a social justice warrior? I forget.

Either way, where do we have to go to get answers? The $10 million dollar public relations department? Yeah, right.

5 comments:

  1. This change in high school special education staffing is NOT disclosed in Superintendent Starr's FY 14 budget. In fact, the FY 14 budget shows no change in these categories of staff.

    http://www.scribd.com/doc/122154870/SEARCHABLE-FY-2014-MCPS-Operating-Budget-and-Personnel-Complement-Superintendent-s-Recommended

    ReplyDelete
  2. Tomorrow the Union Budgets are being approved. This change to high school special education positions must have been APPROVED by MCEA in their secret budget meetings with Superintendent Starr and MCPS staff.

    MCEA, you want to explain this action?

    ReplyDelete
  3. Wootton
    Walter Johnson
    Whitman
    Magruder

    ReplyDelete
  4. Just a guess here. Perhaps the total amount of Special Education positions is the same as before County-wide, but due to shifting enrollments (HS have fewer students, ES have more) some schools may lose a position while others may gain? In any event, why does everything have to involve supposition and lame attempts to descredit MCPS and MCEA on this blog?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Guessing? Aren't we all. The FY 2014 budget does not show a change in special education staffing at the high schools.
      It's not a "some schools this and that" situation. Last night, PTAs were told that special education teachers and para educators were being cut from high schools. Even though the number of students at the high schools is NOT changing. Pretty lame, huh?
      Does MCEA have trouble owning up to their role in setting the MCPS Budget? Well, then maybe they should give up their seat at the secret budget table. Can't take the heat? Get out of the kitchen. MCEA sets the budget, they have lauded themselves over this at conferences all over the country. Now, they don't want any involvement?

      Delete

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