MCPS is executing significant changes to special education that directly affect autistic students and their families.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And to make up for the funding gaps they're pulling from programs that have been running well, even if not fully resourced themselves. It's just an enshittification of everything in the system at this point. Pull everyone down in the name of equality!

In the name of equity, they should be investing more, not less, in SPED. Many of our children are denied services despite having true, documented concerns. If you notice they changed their logo and took out equity.

These high ranking central office special education positions are being replaced with more special education teachers IN schools. These positions are designed to reduce the workload of HSM teachers (home school model) by assisting them with paperwork and meetings, which should taker current HSM teachers away from actual face time with kids . I applaud Dr. Taylor for doing this.

He is adding a position to every elementary school. Unfortunately, the staff/students losing out on the cuts in autism services and the students/staff benefiting from the new positions will not be the same group. Cutting support from the most vulnerable students and the jobs which are some of the most challenging cannot be the answer…

Is he cutting support for the most vulnerable or is he spreading out the support in a different way?

He is cutting support for non verbal children with Autism. Non verbal is not another language, it is no words.

50 SLP staff showed up at the Board of Education meeting yesterday to protest this change.

Why do you hate those 50 teachers so much?

He is only cutting central office staff who haven’t been in an actual school building in years. They do not support students at all. I know exactly what I’m talking about and I know who the supervisors who were cut are. Dr Taylor is smart to re allocate those positions to school based teacher jobs where they will actually help kids. And yes, students of varying needs , verbal and non verbal because they are in general education also.

I talk to school staff and they are despondent about these SPED cuts. Taylor doesn't know anything about SPED and he thinks it's all one size fits all. He doesn't listen to advice or the community.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And to make up for the funding gaps they're pulling from programs that have been running well, even if not fully resourced themselves. It's just an enshittification of everything in the system at this point. Pull everyone down in the name of equality!

In the name of equity, they should be investing more, not less, in SPED. Many of our children are denied services despite having true, documented concerns. If you notice they changed their logo and took out equity.

These high ranking central office special education positions are being replaced with more special education teachers IN schools. These positions are designed to reduce the workload of HSM teachers (home school model) by assisting them with paperwork and meetings, which should taker current HSM teachers away from actual face time with kids . I applaud Dr. Taylor for doing this.

He is adding a position to every elementary school. Unfortunately, the staff/students losing out on the cuts in autism services and the students/staff benefiting from the new positions will not be the same group. Cutting support from the most vulnerable students and the jobs which are some of the most challenging cannot be the answer…

Is he cutting support for the most vulnerable or is he spreading out the support in a different way?

He is cutting support for non verbal children with Autism. Non verbal is not another language, it is no words.

50 SLP staff showed up at the Board of Education meeting yesterday to protest this change.

Why do you hate those 50 teachers so much?

He is only cutting central office staff who haven’t been in an actual school building in years. They do not support students at all. I know exactly what I’m talking about and I know who the supervisors who were cut are. Dr Taylor is smart to re allocate those positions to school based teacher jobs where they will actually help kids. And yes, students of varying needs , verbal and non verbal because they are in general education also.

This is blatantly false.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And to make up for the funding gaps they're pulling from programs that have been running well, even if not fully resourced themselves. It's just an enshittification of everything in the system at this point. Pull everyone down in the name of equality!

In the name of equity, they should be investing more, not less, in SPED. Many of our children are denied services despite having true, documented concerns. If you notice they changed their logo and took out equity.

These high ranking central office special education positions are being replaced with more special education teachers IN schools. These positions are designed to reduce the workload of HSM teachers (home school model) by assisting them with paperwork and meetings, which should taker current HSM teachers away from actual face time with kids . I applaud Dr. Taylor for doing this.

He is adding a position to every elementary school. Unfortunately, the staff/students losing out on the cuts in autism services and the students/staff benefiting from the new positions will not be the same group. Cutting support from the most vulnerable students and the jobs which are some of the most challenging cannot be the answer…

Is he cutting support for the most vulnerable or is he spreading out the support in a different way?

He is cutting support for non verbal children with Autism. Non verbal is not another language, it is no words.

50 SLP staff showed up at the Board of Education meeting yesterday to protest this change.

Why do you hate those 50 teachers so much?

He is only cutting central office staff who haven’t been in an actual school building in years. They do not support students at all. I know exactly what I’m talking about and I know who the supervisors who were cut are. Dr Taylor is smart to re allocate those positions to school based teacher jobs where they will actually help kids. And yes, students of varying needs , verbal and non verbal because they are in general education also.

I doubt there are that many non-verbal autistic kids in general education. Sure, there are definitely some non-verbal kids who don't have any intellectual disabilities and with access to appropriate AAC are a good fit for general education. But a lot of nonverbal kids are also intellectually disabled, not on the diploma track, and often have challenges too severe to be a good fit for mainstream classrooms.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And to make up for the funding gaps they're pulling from programs that have been running well, even if not fully resourced themselves. It's just an enshittification of everything in the system at this point. Pull everyone down in the name of equality!

In the name of equity, they should be investing more, not less, in SPED. Many of our children are denied services despite having true, documented concerns. If you notice they changed their logo and took out equity.

These high ranking central office special education positions are being replaced with more special education teachers IN schools. These positions are designed to reduce the workload of HSM teachers (home school model) by assisting them with paperwork and meetings, which should taker current HSM teachers away from actual face time with kids . I applaud Dr. Taylor for doing this.

He is adding a position to every elementary school. Unfortunately, the staff/students losing out on the cuts in autism services and the students/staff benefiting from the new positions will not be the same group. Cutting support from the most vulnerable students and the jobs which are some of the most challenging cannot be the answer…

Is he cutting support for the most vulnerable or is he spreading out the support in a different way?

He is cutting support for non verbal children with Autism. Non verbal is not another language, it is no words.

50 SLP staff showed up at the Board of Education meeting yesterday to protest this change.

Why do you hate those 50 teachers so much?

He is only cutting central office staff who haven’t been in an actual school building in years. They do not support students at all. I know exactly what I’m talking about and I know who the supervisors who were cut are. Dr Taylor is smart to re allocate those positions to school based teacher jobs where they will actually help kids. And yes, students of varying needs , verbal and non verbal because they are in general education also.

I doubt there are that many non-verbal autistic kids in general education. Sure, there are definitely some non-verbal kids who don't have any intellectual disabilities and with access to appropriate AAC are a good fit for general education. But a lot of nonverbal kids are also intellectually disabled, not on the diploma track, and often have challenges too severe to be a good fit for mainstream classrooms.

I taught in a mainstream class and had international students with significant disabilities, but no IEP.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And to make up for the funding gaps they're pulling from programs that have been running well, even if not fully resourced themselves. It's just an enshittification of everything in the system at this point. Pull everyone down in the name of equality!

In the name of equity, they should be investing more, not less, in SPED. Many of our children are denied services despite having true, documented concerns. If you notice they changed their logo and took out equity.

These high ranking central office special education positions are being replaced with more special education teachers IN schools. These positions are designed to reduce the workload of HSM teachers (home school model) by assisting them with paperwork and meetings, which should taker current HSM teachers away from actual face time with kids . I applaud Dr. Taylor for doing this.

He is adding a position to every elementary school. Unfortunately, the staff/students losing out on the cuts in autism services and the students/staff benefiting from the new positions will not be the same group. Cutting support from the most vulnerable students and the jobs which are some of the most challenging cannot be the answer…

Is he cutting support for the most vulnerable or is he spreading out the support in a different way?

He is cutting support for non verbal children with Autism. Non verbal is not another language, it is no words.

50 SLP staff showed up at the Board of Education meeting yesterday to protest this change.

Why do you hate those 50 teachers so much?

He is only cutting central office staff who haven’t been in an actual school building in years. They do not support students at all. I know exactly what I’m talking about and I know who the supervisors who were cut are. Dr Taylor is smart to re allocate those positions to school based teacher jobs where they will actually help kids. And yes, students of varying needs , verbal and non verbal because they are in general education also.

I doubt there are that many non-verbal autistic kids in general education. Sure, there are definitely some non-verbal kids who don't have any intellectual disabilities and with access to appropriate AAC are a good fit for general education. But a lot of nonverbal kids are also intellectually disabled, not on the diploma track, and often have challenges too severe to be a good fit for mainstream classrooms.

They certainly are in Gen Ed classrooms if the parents refuse to agree to ALO services!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And to make up for the funding gaps they're pulling from programs that have been running well, even if not fully resourced themselves. It's just an enshittification of everything in the system at this point. Pull everyone down in the name of equality!

In the name of equity, they should be investing more, not less, in SPED. Many of our children are denied services despite having true, documented concerns. If you notice they changed their logo and took out equity.

These high ranking central office special education positions are being replaced with more special education teachers IN schools. These positions are designed to reduce the workload of HSM teachers (home school model) by assisting them with paperwork and meetings, which should taker current HSM teachers away from actual face time with kids . I applaud Dr. Taylor for doing this.

He is adding a position to every elementary school. Unfortunately, the staff/students losing out on the cuts in autism services and the students/staff benefiting from the new positions will not be the same group. Cutting support from the most vulnerable students and the jobs which are some of the most challenging cannot be the answer…

Is he cutting support for the most vulnerable or is he spreading out the support in a different way?

He is cutting support for non verbal children with Autism. Non verbal is not another language, it is no words.

50 SLP staff showed up at the Board of Education meeting yesterday to protest this change.

Why do you hate those 50 teachers so much?

He is only cutting central office staff who haven’t been in an actual school building in years. They do not support students at all. I know exactly what I’m talking about and I know who the supervisors who were cut are. Dr Taylor is smart to re allocate those positions to school based teacher jobs where they will actually help kids. And yes, students of varying needs , verbal and non verbal because they are in general education also.

I doubt there are that many non-verbal autistic kids in general education. Sure, there are definitely some non-verbal kids who don't have any intellectual disabilities and with access to appropriate AAC are a good fit for general education. But a lot of nonverbal kids are also intellectually disabled, not on the diploma track, and often have challenges too severe to be a good fit for mainstream classrooms.

Actually, there are a good number of them. They are usually hidden in the basement and on special buses that leave before your kids leave. They are bused to other schools or private. They are pretty much ignored by PTA's and the school community. Don't you pay attention to what's at your kids' schools?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And to make up for the funding gaps they're pulling from programs that have been running well, even if not fully resourced themselves. It's just an enshittification of everything in the system at this point. Pull everyone down in the name of equality!

In the name of equity, they should be investing more, not less, in SPED. Many of our children are denied services despite having true, documented concerns. If you notice they changed their logo and took out equity.

These high ranking central office special education positions are being replaced with more special education teachers IN schools. These positions are designed to reduce the workload of HSM teachers (home school model) by assisting them with paperwork and meetings, which should taker current HSM teachers away from actual face time with kids . I applaud Dr. Taylor for doing this.

He is adding a position to every elementary school. Unfortunately, the staff/students losing out on the cuts in autism services and the students/staff benefiting from the new positions will not be the same group. Cutting support from the most vulnerable students and the jobs which are some of the most challenging cannot be the answer…

Is he cutting support for the most vulnerable or is he spreading out the support in a different way?

He is cutting support for non verbal children with Autism. Non verbal is not another language, it is no words.

50 SLP staff showed up at the Board of Education meeting yesterday to protest this change.

Why do you hate those 50 teachers so much?

He is only cutting central office staff who haven’t been in an actual school building in years. They do not support students at all. I know exactly what I’m talking about and I know who the supervisors who were cut are. Dr Taylor is smart to re allocate those positions to school based teacher jobs where they will actually help kids. And yes, students of varying needs , verbal and non verbal because they are in general education also.

I doubt there are that many non-verbal autistic kids in general education. Sure, there are definitely some non-verbal kids who don't have any intellectual disabilities and with access to appropriate AAC are a good fit for general education. But a lot of nonverbal kids are also intellectually disabled, not on the diploma track, and often have challenges too severe to be a good fit for mainstream classrooms.

Actually, there are a good number of them. They are usually hidden in the basement and on special buses that leave before your kids leave. They are bused to other schools or private. They are pretty much ignored by PTA's and the school community. Don't you pay attention to what's at your kids' schools?

... that doesn't sound like them being in regular gen ed classrooms?

[Anonymous]

Maybe Taylor thinks he is cutting the bloat but some of the positions he is cutting that are labeled "central office" are really special ed positions that are the glue to keeping the programs together. Also, he knows little about special ed and he is putting people in positions that also know little about it (looking at you April Key) and those staff are just warm bodies and create extra work for those who actually know how the programs run. He never asked me but the bloat I see is due to logistics and inefficiencies with how the programs operate and how bad the technology is for the staff who need to do increasing amounts of paperwork. For years we have been begging for a more streamlined process and the state and MCPS respond by making more paperwork with added complexities. And because there are not great training for all the new special ed folks coming in there are big mistakes being made.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: Also, he knows little about special ed and he is putting people in positions that also know little about it (looking at you April Key) and those staff are just warm bodies and create extra work for those who actually know how the programs run.

I haven’t seen April Key’s name mentioned much since she was moved into her new position. Does this mean she is doing as bad a job in her new position as she did in her HR Chief position?

[Anonymous]

How does the funding work for autism diagnosis-->increased staffing (or, conversely, decrease in diagnoses leading to decreased staffing) at a school? Could someone please explain. TY.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How does the funding work for autism diagnosis-->increased staffing (or, conversely, decrease in diagnoses leading to decreased staffing) at a school? Could someone please explain. TY.

Does anyone know exactly how this works?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And to make up for the funding gaps they're pulling from programs that have been running well, even if not fully resourced themselves. It's just an enshittification of everything in the system at this point. Pull everyone down in the name of equality!

In the name of equity, they should be investing more, not less, in SPED. Many of our children are denied services despite having true, documented concerns. If you notice they changed their logo and took out equity.

These high ranking central office special education positions are being replaced with more special education teachers IN schools. These positions are designed to reduce the workload of HSM teachers (home school model) by assisting them with paperwork and meetings, which should taker current HSM teachers away from actual face time with kids . I applaud Dr. Taylor for doing this.

He is adding a position to every elementary school. Unfortunately, the staff/students losing out on the cuts in autism services and the students/staff benefiting from the new positions will not be the same group. Cutting support from the most vulnerable students and the jobs which are some of the most challenging cannot be the answer…

Is he cutting support for the most vulnerable or is he spreading out the support in a different way?

He is cutting support for non verbal children with Autism. Non verbal is not another language, it is no words.

50 SLP staff showed up at the Board of Education meeting yesterday to protest this change.

Why do you hate those 50 teachers so much?

He is only cutting central office staff who haven’t been in an actual school building in years. They do not support students at all. I know exactly what I’m talking about and I know who the supervisors who were cut are. Dr Taylor is smart to re allocate those positions to school based teacher jobs where they will actually help kids. And yes, students of varying needs , verbal and non verbal because they are in general education also.

I doubt there are that many non-verbal autistic kids in general education. Sure, there are definitely some non-verbal kids who don't have any intellectual disabilities and with access to appropriate AAC are a good fit for general education. But a lot of nonverbal kids are also intellectually disabled, not on the diploma track, and often have challenges too severe to be a good fit for mainstream classrooms.

They certainly are in Gen Ed classrooms if the parents refuse to agree to ALO services!

+1. In high poverty schools, students with high needs wait over a year for IEPs. And then, no placements are offered, when appropriate. As a MS teacher, I was told that these students would get placements when they entered HS. Back of the line, at best.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Maybe Taylor thinks he is cutting the bloat but some of the positions he is cutting that are labeled "central office" are really special ed positions that are the glue to keeping the programs together. Also, he knows little about special ed and he is putting people in positions that also know little about it (looking at you April Key) and those staff are just warm bodies and create extra work for those who actually know how the programs run. He never asked me but the bloat I see is due to logistics and inefficiencies with how the programs operate and how bad the technology is for the staff who need to do increasing amounts of paperwork. For years we have been begging for a more streamlined process and the state and MCPS respond by making more paperwork with added complexities. And because there are not great training for all the new special ed folks coming in there are big mistakes being made.

Clinical specialists are being reassigned and leaders with clinical expertise are shown the door. It triples the work for school-based SPED resource teachers. Taylor does not differentiate between "specialists."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And to make up for the funding gaps they're pulling from programs that have been running well, even if not fully resourced themselves. It's just an enshittification of everything in the system at this point. Pull everyone down in the name of equality!

In the name of equity, they should be investing more, not less, in SPED. Many of our children are denied services despite having true, documented concerns. If you notice they changed their logo and took out equity.

These high ranking central office special education positions are being replaced with more special education teachers IN schools. These positions are designed to reduce the workload of HSM teachers (home school model) by assisting them with paperwork and meetings, which should taker current HSM teachers away from actual face time with kids . I applaud Dr. Taylor for doing this.

He is adding a position to every elementary school. Unfortunately, the staff/students losing out on the cuts in autism services and the students/staff benefiting from the new positions will not be the same group. Cutting support from the most vulnerable students and the jobs which are some of the most challenging cannot be the answer…

Is he cutting support for the most vulnerable or is he spreading out the support in a different way?

He is cutting support for non verbal children with Autism. Non verbal is not another language, it is no words.

50 SLP staff showed up at the Board of Education meeting yesterday to protest this change.

Why do you hate those 50 teachers so much?

He is only cutting central office staff who haven’t been in an actual school building in years. They do not support students at all. I know exactly what I’m talking about and I know who the supervisors who were cut are. Dr Taylor is smart to re allocate those positions to school based teacher jobs where they will actually help kids. And yes, students of varying needs , verbal and non verbal because they are in general education also.

I doubt there are that many non-verbal autistic kids in general education. Sure, there are definitely some non-verbal kids who don't have any intellectual disabilities and with access to appropriate AAC are a good fit for general education. But a lot of nonverbal kids are also intellectually disabled, not on the diploma track, and often have challenges too severe to be a good fit for mainstream classrooms.

Actually, there are a good number of them. They are usually hidden in the basement and on special buses that leave before your kids leave. They are bused to other schools or private. They are pretty much ignored by PTA's and the school community. Don't you pay attention to what's at your kids' schools?

... that doesn't sound like them being in regular gen ed classrooms?

There are some and they intermix depending on the classroom.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And to make up for the funding gaps they're pulling from programs that have been running well, even if not fully resourced themselves. It's just an enshittification of everything in the system at this point. Pull everyone down in the name of equality!

In the name of equity, they should be investing more, not less, in SPED. Many of our children are denied services despite having true, documented concerns. If you notice they changed their logo and took out equity.

These high ranking central office special education positions are being replaced with more special education teachers IN schools. These positions are designed to reduce the workload of HSM teachers (home school model) by assisting them with paperwork and meetings, which should taker current HSM teachers away from actual face time with kids . I applaud Dr. Taylor for doing this.

He is adding a position to every elementary school. Unfortunately, the staff/students losing out on the cuts in autism services and the students/staff benefiting from the new positions will not be the same group. Cutting support from the most vulnerable students and the jobs which are some of the most challenging cannot be the answer…

Is he cutting support for the most vulnerable or is he spreading out the support in a different way?

He is cutting support for non verbal children with Autism. Non verbal is not another language, it is no words.

50 SLP staff showed up at the Board of Education meeting yesterday to protest this change.

Why do you hate those 50 teachers so much?

He is only cutting central office staff who haven’t been in an actual school building in years. They do not support students at all. I know exactly what I’m talking about and I know who the supervisors who were cut are. Dr Taylor is smart to re allocate those positions to school based teacher jobs where they will actually help kids. And yes, students of varying needs , verbal and non verbal because they are in general education also.

I doubt there are that many non-verbal autistic kids in general education. Sure, there are definitely some non-verbal kids who don't have any intellectual disabilities and with access to appropriate AAC are a good fit for general education. But a lot of nonverbal kids are also intellectually disabled, not on the diploma track, and often have challenges too severe to be a good fit for mainstream classrooms.

They certainly are in Gen Ed classrooms if the parents refuse to agree to ALO services!

+1. In high poverty schools, students with high needs wait over a year for IEPs. And then, no placements are offered, when appropriate. As a MS teacher, I was told that these students would get placements when they entered HS. Back of the line, at best.

We’ve been fighting for years for an iep and excuse after excuse told no.