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

[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.

They get more allocations for sped teachers depending on the number of asd kids. So, they try to switch kids with adhd, learning disorders, speech issues to asd to get the numbers to justify the teachers. However, if you agree it does not mean more help for your child. They told us it was an educational diagnosis only and it does not have to match our outside diagnosis. We were told if we did not accept it they would remove our child’s iep. Which they did when we refused. It took us years to get it back.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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.

They get more allocations for sped teachers depending on the number of asd kids. So, they try to switch kids with adhd, learning disorders, speech issues to asd to get the numbers to justify the teachers. However, if you agree it does not mean more help for your child. They told us it was an educational diagnosis only and it does not have to match our outside diagnosis. We were told if we did not accept it they would remove our child’s iep. Which they did when we refused. It took us years to get it back.

I'm so sorry for your child's and family's experiences. I have seen these incorrect diagnostic findings before, only with parents who didn't have the system knowledge to begin to know how to fight MCPS. Taylor is combining program staffing for what are, and should remain, significantly different clinical conditions. He doesn't care.

[Anonymous]

Do you think they reduced this so people should stop taking Tylenol?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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.

They get more allocations for sped teachers depending on the number of asd kids. So, they try to switch kids with adhd, learning disorders, speech issues to asd to get the numbers to justify the teachers. However, if you agree it does not mean more help for your child. They told us it was an educational diagnosis only and it does not have to match our outside diagnosis. We were told if we did not accept it they would remove our child’s iep. Which they did when we refused. It took us years to get it back.

I'm so sorry for your child's and family's experiences. I have seen these incorrect diagnostic findings before, only with parents who didn't have the system knowledge to begin to know how to fight MCPS. Taylor is combining program staffing for what are, and should remain, significantly different clinical conditions. He doesn't care.

This is going on long before Taylor. For us it was bias with the principal and assistant principal. Most school staff don’t get special needs. Teachers at best get one or two classes on it that is just and overview. I was shocked given we’ve had multiple private evaluations all say the same thing as they felt they knew better even without proof.

[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.

This is blatantly false.

It’s unequivocally TRUE

Read the recommendations here
https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/siteassets/district/departments/budget/fy2027/2027operatingbudget.pdf

There is ONLY a reduction in central office staff and there is a 13.6 increase recommendation for special education next year . The only reduction in special education are central office staff who do not actually serve students. In fact their only goal was serve as gatekeepers to specialized programs and services to kids who desperately needed them. Maybe not that they’re finally removed, kids can get what they need from the staff who know them best - their school based teams !

[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.

You have no clue. There are hundreds of misplaced kids across the county who cannot get the services they need because their HSM teachers are drowning in paperwork and central office staff don’t have time to come see them or offer support. This is why we need the RTSE positions at each elementary school

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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.

They get more allocations for sped teachers depending on the number of asd kids. So, they try to switch kids with adhd, learning disorders, speech issues to asd to get the numbers to justify the teachers. However, if you agree it does not mean more help for your child. They told us it was an educational diagnosis only and it does not have to match our outside diagnosis. We were told if we did not accept it they would remove our child’s iep. Which they did when we refused. It took us years to get it back.

I'm so sorry for your child's and family's experiences. I have seen these incorrect diagnostic findings before, only with parents who didn't have the system knowledge to begin to know how to fight MCPS. Taylor is combining program staffing for what are, and should remain, significantly different clinical conditions. He doesn't care.

This is going on long before Taylor. For us it was bias with the principal and assistant principal. Most school staff don’t get special needs. Teachers at best get one or two classes on it that is just and overview. I was shocked given we’ve had multiple private evaluations all say the same thing as they felt they knew better even without proof.

You're correct. Taylor is making it worse.

[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.

You have no clue. There are hundreds of misplaced kids across the county who cannot get the services they need because their HSM teachers are drowning in paperwork and central office staff don’t have time to come see them or offer support. This is why we need the RTSE positions at each elementary school

The RTSEs for elementary schools are a key improvement. But if there is no placement available for students with significant needs, because Taylor is weakening the support structure, where does that leave us?

[Anonymous]

I’m a specials teacher at a high-needs elementary. You would be shocked at what happens when — multiple times per year — an international student arrives who is nonverbal, evidently has autism, cannot communicate with us or understand instructions, and remains in the general ed classroom all year and for the rest of their elementary years. I have never seen a student placed elsewhere. The best outcome has been when they are given a one-on-one.

[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.

This is blatantly false.

It’s unequivocally TRUE

Read the recommendations here
https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/siteassets/district/departments/budget/fy2027/2027operatingbudget.pdf

There is ONLY a reduction in central office staff and there is a 13.6 increase recommendation for special education next year . The only reduction in special education are central office staff who do not actually serve students. In fact their only goal was serve as gatekeepers to specialized programs and services to kids who desperately needed them. Maybe not that they’re finally removed, kids can get what they need from the staff who know them best - their school based teams !

Is that you Essie McGuire? If you talk to school-based staff, they understand clearly that, without the central office "gatekeepers," school-based staff will take on the additional role of "gatekeeper," ie, trying to ascertain the appropriate interventions and placements. Sorry to scream, but SCHOOL-BASED STAFF ARE ALREADY STRETCHED TOO THIN. Without specifically trained clinical central office staff to guide and support families through placement, and to visit schools weekly to provide hands-on support, the system is weakened. Not drinking your kool-aid here.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m a specials teacher at a high-needs elementary. You would be shocked at what happens when — multiple times per year — an international student arrives who is nonverbal, evidently has autism, cannot communicate with us or understand instructions, and remains in the general ed classroom all year and for the rest of their elementary years. I have never seen a student placed elsewhere. The best outcome has been when they are given a one-on-one.

I'm a middle-school teacher who teaches ELD 1 (1st year English learners) at a tier 1 Title 1 school. For international students with significant special ed needs, it takes 18 months to get an IEP and then, the students get no further placement. They spend up to three years in gen ed classes that are inappropriate for their needs. If people wonder why outcomes are poor for Title 1 schools, here is one of the reasons: students needing one-on-one special education support are not provided it in gen ed classes, and teachers have to do the best they can with it all. Instruction for the whole class suffers.

[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.

This is blatantly false.

It’s unequivocally TRUE

Read the recommendations here
https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/siteassets/district/departments/budget/fy2027/2027operatingbudget.pdf

There is ONLY a reduction in central office staff and there is a 13.6 increase recommendation for special education next year . The only reduction in special education are central office staff who do not actually serve students. In fact their only goal was serve as gatekeepers to specialized programs and services to kids who desperately needed them. Maybe not that they’re finally removed, kids can get what they need from the staff who know them best - their school based teams !

Is that you Essie McGuire? If you talk to school-based staff, they understand clearly that, without the central office "gatekeepers," school-based staff will take on the additional role of "gatekeeper," ie, trying to ascertain the appropriate interventions and placements. Sorry to scream, but SCHOOL-BASED STAFF ARE ALREADY STRETCHED TOO THIN. Without specifically trained clinical central office staff to guide and support families through placement, and to visit schools weekly to provide hands-on support, the system is weakened. Not drinking your kool-aid here.

I've been a special education teacher for over 20 years in a variety of programs. Currently I serve in an alternate program within a school. I do not find the central office specialist well trained or helpful when asked to come support with a student that the school team finds inappropriately placed. I've never once had them agree with a change of placement, instead they demand us to do more without providing resources or support or even modeling what they excpect us to do. Their "support" just adds more to our overfilled plate. Support is needed, though. I don't think this change will lead to improvement, but I do think change is needed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m a specials teacher at a high-needs elementary. You would be shocked at what happens when — multiple times per year — an international student arrives who is nonverbal, evidently has autism, cannot communicate with us or understand instructions, and remains in the general ed classroom all year and for the rest of their elementary years. I have never seen a student placed elsewhere. The best outcome has been when they are given a one-on-one.

I'm a middle-school teacher who teaches ELD 1 (1st year English learners) at a tier 1 Title 1 school. For international students with significant special ed needs, it takes 18 months to get an IEP and then, the students get no further placement. They spend up to three years in gen ed classes that are inappropriate for their needs. If people wonder why outcomes are poor for Title 1 schools, here is one of the reasons: students needing one-on-one special education support are not provided it in gen ed classes, and teachers have to do the best they can with it all. Instruction for the whole class suffers.

Seriously? Why does it take so long? That sounds terrible for everyone involved.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is why I find the complaints from the Wootton parents so disgusting. There are so many bigger problems in the district, like Taylor destroying special education.

The strategy seems to be accepting being forced into paying for private placement, but since those private programs are already at capacity, MCPS's costs won't grow. Kids just get hurt.

Yes, yes, turn the parents and children against each other instead of holding the government accountable to serve the whole county!

Not a Wooton parent but frankly by the time my child gets to high school they will have been passed by for 10 years in the classroom because they DONT have special needs. When did it become an issue to advocate for all our children? My child is gifted and frankly no one gives a shit. Can they also be entitled to a fulfilling education?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is why I find the complaints from the Wootton parents so disgusting. There are so many bigger problems in the district, like Taylor destroying special education.

The strategy seems to be accepting being forced into paying for private placement, but since those private programs are already at capacity, MCPS's costs won't grow. Kids just get hurt.

Yes, yes, turn the parents and children against each other instead of holding the government accountable to serve the whole county!

Not a Wooton parent but frankly by the time my child gets to high school they will have been passed by for 10 years in the classroom because they DONT have special needs. When did it become an issue to advocate for all our children? My child is gifted and frankly no one gives a shit. Can they also be entitled to a fulfilling education?

Hire tutors to supplement like everyone else. Your kid will graduate proficient in both math and reading which is more than most can say. Count your blessings. And learn to advocate for your kid, not against other people's kids