Bridge programs in MCPS

[Anonymous]

Does anyone know why the Bridge programs get staffing at a much higher ratio than other programs? They have their own RTSE, their own psychologist, and their own social worker. They also have a much smaller teacher to student ratio than any other special education program that I’m aware of. Why do LFI, Classic Autism, and SCB programs have to share resources with much much bigger LAD programs? Many HS RTSEs oversee 200+ students but Bridge RTSEs oversee 30 or so. Doesn’t make sense to me. Can anyone explain why Bridge programs are staffed so exorbitantly?

[Anonymous]

My kid is in Bridge. I know there is a dedicated social worker but I didn’t know there was also a dedicated psychologist. I’ve never seen a psychologist at any of the school event where the social worker is present.

As far as student/teacher ratio, that is the accommodation. For most of the bridge kids, they need a smaller class in order to not become overwhelmed.

There is an xminds meeting on Oct 17. This would be a great question to ask there. Most of us only have experience with the program our kid is in.

[Anonymous]

To be in the Bridge program means you need more supports than an IEP at a regular high school has available. That is why the ratios are different. "Exorbitant" is an opinion.

[Anonymous]

The bridge is the program that has the kids with IEPs on track to receive a high school diploma, correct?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The bridge is the program that has the kids with IEPs on track to receive a high school diploma, correct?

Yes

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:To be in the Bridge program means you need more supports than an IEP at a regular high school has available. That is why the ratios are different. "Exorbitant" is an opinion.

True but OP is comparing Bridge to other self contained programs---LFI, Classic Autism, and SCB. All of these kids, Bridge included, need more supports than an IEP in gen ed.

[Anonymous]

Let's flip this. Why aren't the other SN programs as resourced well too? I see all the "free or no cost" services provided around MCPS...yet there is "no budget" for many SN services.

Classic Autism and the others. When my student entered an MCPS HS with an IEP that included weekly "mental health minutes" with a school psychologist, we were told in the review meeting, "yeah, we don't do that here." Discouraging.

[Anonymous]

Is all this fuss about the basic fact that even if the cohort is small, you still need one of each specialist at the school?

Does Bridge have more RTSE because they support kids who in the gen ed side of bridge half the day without an SE teacher running the classroom?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The bridge is the program that has the kids with IEPs on track to receive a high school diploma, correct?

See a full taxonomy at
https://xminds.org/secondary-services

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Let's flip this. Why aren't the other SN programs as resourced well too? I see all the "free or no cost" services provided around MCPS...yet there is "no budget" for many SN services.

Classic Autism and the others. When my student entered an MCPS HS with an IEP that included weekly "mental health minutes" with a school psychologist, we were told in the review meeting, "yeah, we don't do that here." Discouraging.

There is no unlimited funding and they eliminated an ASD program this year. More funding is needed to help these kids succeed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Let's flip this. Why aren't the other SN programs as resourced well too? I see all the "free or no cost" services provided around MCPS...yet there is "no budget" for many SN services.

Classic Autism and the others. When my student entered an MCPS HS with an IEP that included weekly "mental health minutes" with a school psychologist, we were told in the review meeting, "yeah, we don't do that here." Discouraging.

There is no unlimited funding and they eliminated an ASD program this year. More funding is needed to help these kids succeed.

Which ASD program was eliminated?