APS Board & Duran Proposing to Dissolve Integration Station

[Anonymous]

The Integration Station (IS) and The Children’s School (TCS) community has just received word from Dr. Mann that, due to budget concerns, Dr. Duran and the APS School Board are proposing the possibility of dissolving the IS program. The proposal recommends sending IS students to sites closer to their home schools for the Community Peer Program (CPP) which does not include consideration of our students that require service on the continuum (Ex. Early childhood special Ed or mini MIPA)

Although this sounds like a great idea on paper (in terms of $ amount), the implications are enormous. There are many of you who have children that attended or are attending TCS. We need to rally and speak up!!

The proposal will be presented at the APS School Board meeting on Thursday, March 13th at 7PM. Community support is MUCH needed to voice the need to keep this 25+ year partnership continuing strong in the future!

[Anonymous]

Could you explain in plain terms what the issue is?

[Anonymous]

They are proposing to end the Integration Station program, an inclusive special education preschool program that has served Arlington, VA for over 25 years. In its current form, it is cohoused in a private facility run by The Children’s School, a co-op started by APS teachers and staff, to provide inclusive opportunities for APS students receiving special education services.

APS recently paid for a private study by a private firm to look at how to reduce costs and the firm believes that disbanding IS will save APS $1 million. The reality is that a good chunk of those funds would need to be accounted for anyways, since these students are entitled to receiving a free and appropriate public education (FAPE) under federal law (IDEA).

The problems that leadership have yet to address are: (1) do they have enough space to house these students elsewhere? (2) With current CPP programs under-enrolled with community peers, how would they find peers for additional CPP classes to provide the appropriate least restrictive environment (LRE) to these students without violating their IEPs?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:They are proposing to end the Integration Station program, an inclusive special education preschool program that has served Arlington, VA for over 25 years. In its current form, it is cohoused in a private facility run by The Children’s School, a co-op started by APS teachers and staff, to provide inclusive opportunities for APS students receiving special education services.

APS recently paid for a private study by a private firm to look at how to reduce costs and the firm believes that disbanding IS will save APS $1 million. The reality is that a good chunk of those funds would need to be accounted for anyways, since these students are entitled to receiving a free and appropriate public education (FAPE) under federal law (IDEA).

The problems that leadership have yet to address are: (1) do they have enough space to house these students elsewhere? (2) With current CPP programs under-enrolled with community peers, how would they find peers for additional CPP classes to provide the appropriate least restrictive environment (LRE) to these students without violating their IEPs?

Preschool? Federal laws? Those are both not domain of k-12 education in 2025. APS has. $35M shortfall, this is what is cut.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They are proposing to end the Integration Station program, an inclusive special education preschool program that has served Arlington, VA for over 25 years. In its current form, it is cohoused in a private facility run by The Children’s School, a co-op started by APS teachers and staff, to provide inclusive opportunities for APS students receiving special education services.

APS recently paid for a private study by a private firm to look at how to reduce costs and the firm believes that disbanding IS will save APS $1 million. The reality is that a good chunk of those funds would need to be accounted for anyways, since these students are entitled to receiving a free and appropriate public education (FAPE) under federal law (IDEA).

The problems that leadership have yet to address are: (1) do they have enough space to house these students elsewhere? (2) With current CPP programs under-enrolled with community peers, how would they find peers for additional CPP classes to provide the appropriate least restrictive environment (LRE) to these students without violating their IEPs?

Preschool? Federal laws? Those are both not domain of k-12 education in 2025. APS has. $35M shortfall, this is what is cut.

Agreed. K-12 must be the focus.

And the laws you cite don’t apply before the child is actually in K.

Sadly, I agree with cutting it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They are proposing to end the Integration Station program, an inclusive special education preschool program that has served Arlington, VA for over 25 years. In its current form, it is cohoused in a private facility run by The Children’s School, a co-op started by APS teachers and staff, to provide inclusive opportunities for APS students receiving special education services.

APS recently paid for a private study by a private firm to look at how to reduce costs and the firm believes that disbanding IS will save APS $1 million. The reality is that a good chunk of those funds would need to be accounted for anyways, since these students are entitled to receiving a free and appropriate public education (FAPE) under federal law (IDEA).

The problems that leadership have yet to address are: (1) do they have enough space to house these students elsewhere? (2) With current CPP programs under-enrolled with community peers, how would they find peers for additional CPP classes to provide the appropriate least restrictive environment (LRE) to these students without violating their IEPs?

Preschool? Federal laws? Those are both not domain of k-12 education in 2025. APS has. $35M shortfall, this is what is cut.

Agreed. K-12 must be the focus.

And the laws you cite don’t apply before the child is actually in K.

Sadly, I agree with cutting it.

+1

[Anonymous]

Didn’t they just build a completely new facility for integration station a few years ago???? And now they want to get rid of the program? Unbelievable.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They are proposing to end the Integration Station program, an inclusive special education preschool program that has served Arlington, VA for over 25 years. In its current form, it is cohoused in a private facility run by The Children’s School, a co-op started by APS teachers and staff, to provide inclusive opportunities for APS students receiving special education services.

APS recently paid for a private study by a private firm to look at how to reduce costs and the firm believes that disbanding IS will save APS $1 million. The reality is that a good chunk of those funds would need to be accounted for anyways, since these students are entitled to receiving a free and appropriate public education (FAPE) under federal law (IDEA).

The problems that leadership have yet to address are: (1) do they have enough space to house these students elsewhere? (2) With current CPP programs under-enrolled with community peers, how would they find peers for additional CPP classes to provide the appropriate least restrictive environment (LRE) to these students without violating their IEPs?

Preschool? Federal laws? Those are both not domain of k-12 education in 2025. APS has. $35M shortfall, this is what is cut.

Agreed. K-12 must be the focus.

And the laws you cite don’t apply before the child is actually in K.

Sadly, I agree with cutting it.

There are requirements for programs for early intervention, but I think those come out of county or state budgets. Perhaps a different entity can pick this up?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Didn’t they just build a completely new facility for integration station a few years ago???? And now they want to get rid of the program? Unbelievable.

Calm down. The day care for the teachers kids would still be there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Didn’t they just build a completely new facility for integration station a few years ago???? And now they want to get rid of the program? Unbelievable.

Calm down. The day care for the teachers kids would still be there.

I’m neither a teacher nor do I have need for daycare, but I am frustrated at spending huge amounts of money on facilities projects then closing the programs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Didn’t they just build a completely new facility for integration station a few years ago???? And now they want to get rid of the program? Unbelievable.

Just like they torn down the children’s school to build McKinley/ats. They sure know how to waste money.

[Anonymous]

DP…Wow. These responses are really sad. It is clear that most of these PPs are absolutely clueless to how special Integration Station is, and how many children have benefited from this community. And some of them are uniformed. Part C of IDEA funds early intervention (birth -3), while Part B funds special education services from ages 3-22.

OP - please add any organized advocacy efforts here so those who are supportive of IS can help. I would also cross post in the Kids with Special Needs forum, where you will likely find a more supportive audience.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They are proposing to end the Integration Station program, an inclusive special education preschool program that has served Arlington, VA for over 25 years. In its current form, it is cohoused in a private facility run by The Children’s School, a co-op started by APS teachers and staff, to provide inclusive opportunities for APS students receiving special education services.

APS recently paid for a private study by a private firm to look at how to reduce costs and the firm believes that disbanding IS will save APS $1 million. The reality is that a good chunk of those funds would need to be accounted for anyways, since these students are entitled to receiving a free and appropriate public education (FAPE) under federal law (IDEA).

The problems that leadership have yet to address are: (1) do they have enough space to house these students elsewhere? (2) With current CPP programs under-enrolled with community peers, how would they find peers for additional CPP classes to provide the appropriate least restrictive environment (LRE) to these students without violating their IEPs?

Preschool? Federal laws? Those are both not domain of k-12 education in 2025. APS has. $35M shortfall, this is what is cut.

This is why budgets are never significantly reduced despite shortfalls. There is nothing everyone is willing to eliminate. Something and somebody is always going to be impacted, and people speak up for their program/interest - but never offer alternatives to balance the budget. So how to people propose finding $35m additional funding, or $35m worth of cuts? What CAN we cut? (Besides a few positions at bloated Syphax, and besides construction costs which don't come out of the regular operating budget).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Didn’t they just build a completely new facility for integration station a few years ago???? And now they want to get rid of the program? Unbelievable.

Calm down. The day care for the teachers kids would still be there.

I’m neither a teacher nor do I have need for daycare, but I am frustrated at spending huge amounts of money on facilities projects then closing the programs.

You just got told the facility will still be used. What's the issue?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DP…Wow. These responses are really sad. It is clear that most of these PPs are absolutely clueless to how special Integration Station is, and how many children have benefited from this community. And some of them are uniformed. Part C of IDEA funds early intervention (birth -3), while Part B funds special education services from ages 3-22.

OP - please add any organized advocacy efforts here so those who are supportive of IS can help. I would also cross post in the Kids with Special Needs forum, where you will likely find a more supportive audience.

Look we all get it. Some of just know taxpayer money doesn't grow on trees. Everything is special to someone. Either lobby your County Board to raise taxes to pay for all the special things or make realistic and educated suggestions for budget reductions that are rooted in knowledge of how government and programs work.