What is going on with the Office of Special Education?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Was there an announcement for the new Acting Associate Superintendent? This is the second Acting Associate Superintendent in two years and Ty get new Acting Superintendent was the Resolution and Compliance Director hired by MCPS last October. So who is now the Director for Resolution and Compliance?

And what about all the vacancies for Special Education Teachers and Para Educators at the school level? Did MCPS just give up on finding employees for those positions as well?

I don't believe MCPS has given up on finding special education teachers or paras. The problem is that people just don't want the jobs. Special Ed jobs are hard-besides the mounds of paperwork and meetings to attend, add to that being verbally and physically assaulted in some cases, would you want that job? I know special educators in the county that literally had to go on disability because of physical incidents in their classrooms. On top of all of that, they aren't paid enough at all.

As for paras, similar issue, except the money is REALLY bad and they are treated as less than professionals in a lot of schools. Take a look at the job listings on the MCPS website-the majority of para jobs open are the ones with no benefits. I think most of the para jobs start at $18-19 an hour. There are lot easier jobs out there for that kind of money and no benefits.

Just a little food for thought...

And meanwhile no one will talk about the elephant in the room …what he hell is going on that our children need so much special education anyway? Something is really really wrong . And it’s not just “better diagnosing “. There is an epidemic afoot not to mention the sometimes ridiculous expectations of parents that will bankrupt the country at some point. It’s just not sustainable to do education this way

Agree. Maybe we aren't teaching them properly.

Maybe we aren’t parenting them properly.

Tell me how you parent a child to cure their disability that the school system agrees the child has. Realize that it takes a comprehensive evaluation and specialists to identify the disability and needs of the child. None of whom said bad parenting is the cause of the disability.

People like you are the very reason why there are civil rights laws to protect students with disabilities.

I never said real disabilities are caused by parents. I was responding to an idiot who said “Maybe we aren’t teaching them properly.”

Pick up your spilled outrage and try again.

[Anonymous]

Is the new RACU Director attending IEP meetings? Or was that only Ms. Wyles?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:From experience, I can report that the ( now) former head of Resolution and Compliance was a vocal advocate for the school's position in IEP meetings, regardless of the stated purpose of R&C. Attitude towards parents was to "manage" them. .

Our experience as well. She also didn’t do a good job in keeping the school system compliant as she chaired the IEP meeting. Due Process is a real probability considering the violations. She will be called to testify given her participation in the IEP meeting.

I get that MCPS is short staffed to the point students are still not receiving the services MCPS has agreed to. Either work with parents to pay 100% of the expense of a private provider or hire an employee to provide services. Don’t neglect your responsibility then expect parents to carry the burden for the expense. In the end, students are not receiving the education they need and there will be a lifetime of repercussions for students with disabilities being passed through MCPS without fundamental skills for life after high school graduation.

I agree with this. My guess, in about 3 years, the special ed lawsuits will balloon beyond belief. There are not enough special ed teachers or paraeducators. Why? In part, way too much paperwork required (for teachers) and also not enough money for paraeducators.

I am a special ed paraeducator, making less than $19 per hour. And it's a 10 month job. And, there are 15 days of what they call "no work, no pay," like today and 9/26. There are 2 days off when we have training, and get paid for that. And before you start screaming about the excellent benefits we get, that's going away on Dec 31, when MC0S switches from Care First to Cigna 🤮

[Anonymous]

Not filling vacancies in Special Education neglects the students who depend on the services not being provided and it taxes Para Educators, Special Education Teachers, and General Education Teachers who are trying to fill in the gaps. Central Office staff get promoted quickly up the ranks but school staff positions are not being filled. Yes, $19 per hour with no leave is not enough to incentivize people to fill the vacancies.

[Anonymous]

Any new information on what progress has been made to hire Special Education Teachers and Para Educators? Our school still has a lot of vacancies.

[Anonymous]

I would guess very little progress as a) they have "warm bodies" in place (long term substitutes), and b) there aren't people who want these low-paying, high-stress, tons of paperwork, jobs!

[Anonymous]

So what happens to the money that’s budgeted for Special Education jobs MCPS that remain vacant? Can MCPS use that money for compensatory services since students are not receiving the services in their IEPs?