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

[Anonymous]

This could not be a more shirt-sighted decision by the Taylor administration. The schools serving special needs children need way more support, not less! Cannot imagine what that CO brain trust is thinking! 🤬

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This could not be a more shirt-sighted decision by the Taylor administration. The schools serving special needs children need way more support, not less! Cannot imagine what that CO brain trust is thinking! 🤬

*short-sighted

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Most concerning, the Autism Unit has been reduced by roughly half. Two positions were eliminated, and five psychologists with autism-specific assessment expertise were reassigned to general caseloads, dispersing specialized knowledge that has long supported schools and IEP teams. At its peak, the Autism Unit included 21 full-time specialists serving 73 schools. The unit’s longtime supervisor, Kristin Ericson, is also departing after 43 years at MCPS, representing a major loss of expertise and institutional knowledge.

https://parentscoalitionmc.blogspot.com/2026/01/breaking-taylor-proposes-major-cuts-to.html?m=1

She’s allowed to retire after 43 years.

It wasn’t her choice. She was forced out.

Insider note or rumor?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Most concerning, the Autism Unit has been reduced by roughly half. Two positions were eliminated, and five psychologists with autism-specific assessment expertise were reassigned to general caseloads, dispersing specialized knowledge that has long supported schools and IEP teams. At its peak, the Autism Unit included 21 full-time specialists serving 73 schools. The unit’s longtime supervisor, Kristin Ericson, is also departing after 43 years at MCPS, representing a major loss of expertise and institutional knowledge.

https://parentscoalitionmc.blogspot.com/2026/01/breaking-taylor-proposes-major-cuts-to.html?m=1

She’s allowed to retire after 43 years.

It wasn’t her choice. She was forced out.

Regardless, I don't think someone who's been in a position for 43 years is entitled to stay there forever. We need fresh blood in MCPS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This sounds like they are going to dump even more children into mainstream elementary classrooms who have no business being in one. It helps nobody except the bottom line.

^^THIS^^

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Most concerning, the Autism Unit has been reduced by roughly half. Two positions were eliminated, and five psychologists with autism-specific assessment expertise were reassigned to general caseloads, dispersing specialized knowledge that has long supported schools and IEP teams. At its peak, the Autism Unit included 21 full-time specialists serving 73 schools. The unit’s longtime supervisor, Kristin Ericson, is also departing after 43 years at MCPS, representing a major loss of expertise and institutional knowledge.

https://parentscoalitionmc.blogspot.com/2026/01/breaking-taylor-proposes-major-cuts-to.html?m=1

She’s allowed to retire after 43 years.

It wasn’t her choice. She was forced out.

Regardless, I don't think someone who's been in a position for 43 years is entitled to stay there forever. We need fresh blood in MCPS.

She will be replaced with a sycophant. If you are looking for an improvement with a replacement in a department with diminishing resources, you won't find it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This could not be a more shirt-sighted decision by the Taylor administration. The schools serving special needs children need way more support, not less! Cannot imagine what that CO brain trust is thinking! 🤬

There are regional high school programs to construct and operate...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Most concerning, the Autism Unit has been reduced by roughly half. Two positions were eliminated, and five psychologists with autism-specific assessment expertise were reassigned to general caseloads, dispersing specialized knowledge that has long supported schools and IEP teams. At its peak, the Autism Unit included 21 full-time specialists serving 73 schools. The unit’s longtime supervisor, Kristin Ericson, is also departing after 43 years at MCPS, representing a major loss of expertise and institutional knowledge.

https://parentscoalitionmc.blogspot.com/2026/01/breaking-taylor-proposes-major-cuts-to.html?m=1

She’s allowed to retire after 43 years.

It wasn’t her choice. She was forced out.

After 43 years, it is not unreasonable to want someone new

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This could not be a more shirt-sighted decision by the Taylor administration. The schools serving special needs children need way more support, not less! Cannot imagine what that CO brain trust is thinking! 🤬

There are regional high school programs to construct and operate...

They cut an autism program, MVA and early childhood education a few years ago... it was easy to see this coming, sadly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think in Montgomery County the Autism program was a racket like the Minneapolis fraud.

I think they were labeling kids that weren't autistic as autistic so they could get federal funds. Now they are afraid of getting busted.

As someone who worked in special ed in MCPS you could not be more wrong.

Yes, my experience is that it's been the opposite...those programs are EXPENSIVE and the gap between federal/state funding and what the district has to cover is a lot. They are more likely to gatekeep, if anythiingl.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think in Montgomery County the Autism program was a racket like the Minneapolis fraud.

I think they were labeling kids that weren't autistic as autistic so they could get federal funds. Now they are afraid of getting busted.

As someone who worked in special ed in MCPS you could not be more wrong.

Yes, my experience is that it's been the opposite...those programs are EXPENSIVE and the gap between federal/state funding and what the district has to cover is a lot. They are more likely to gatekeep, if anythiingl.

It depends on the school/principal and sped staff. In ES, our school was pressuring us to get our child diagnosed for autism so they could get the funding, as they were going to lose a sped teacher if they didn't have the numbers. However, if we agreed, they weren't willing to offer any additional support for our child so it was just a diagnosis in name only (they refused to recognize the real diagnosis or needs per multiple private evaluations all saying the same thing and their in-house evaluation). I cannot say if its happening now but it absolutely was happening in the past and parents were pressured to agree to a diagnosis for the school's needs, not the child's (I might have agreed had it provided extra or any help to my child).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This could not be a more shirt-sighted decision by the Taylor administration. The schools serving special needs children need way more support, not less! Cannot imagine what that CO brain trust is thinking! 🤬

Follow the money… it all leads to the pockets of Peter O. Moran.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This could not be a more shirt-sighted decision by the Taylor administration. The schools serving special needs children need way more support, not less! Cannot imagine what that CO brain trust is thinking! 🤬

Follow the money… it all leads to the pockets of Peter O. Moran.

Report him to the IG if you have reason to believe he is stealing money.

[Anonymous]

Can someone explain what the Autism Unit actually does?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Most concerning, the Autism Unit has been reduced by roughly half. Two positions were eliminated, and five psychologists with autism-specific assessment expertise were reassigned to general caseloads, dispersing specialized knowledge that has long supported schools and IEP teams. At its peak, the Autism Unit included 21 full-time specialists serving 73 schools. The unit’s longtime supervisor, Kristin Ericson, is also departing after 43 years at MCPS, representing a major loss of expertise and institutional knowledge.

https://parentscoalitionmc.blogspot.com/2026/01/breaking-taylor-proposes-major-cuts-to.html?m=1

She’s allowed to retire after 43 years.

It wasn’t her choice. She was forced out.

After 43 years, it is not unreasonable to want someone new

The position is being eliminated. There will be no one new. The position is gone. A person who is extremely valuable and works closely with County agencies including the police is being removed. She deals with the most severely impacted children with autism. She knows them all by name.

There is no replacement. There is no one to train in this position. There is no position.

Get it?