Reply to Guidelines for special Ed kids in gen Ed

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]My daughter is in a second-grade class of 27 students, and at least 9 have IEPs. The current mix of needs seems to be creating significant challenges in the classroom. My child frequently complains about the noise level and disruptive behaviors, and she’s having trouble concentrating. She’s also started showing signs of anxiety related to school.

I’m aware of the number of students receiving services because my daughter is 1 of 4  students with dyslexia who receive OG tutoring together (parents have confirmed this), and there are 5 students with autism who attend social-emotional classes together (4 parents have shared their diagnoses directly with me).

I fully support inclusion, but it doesn’t feel like this setup is serving any of the students well without additional support. The classroom teacher is clearly stretched thin. I also spoke with the principal, who said there isn’t funding for an aide. The special education teacher is shared with another grade, so they’re only in the classroom about 50% of the time.

Does anyone know what the FCPS guidelines are for elementary classrooms regarding class size and the number or percentage of students with IEPs in a single classroom?[/quote]

Yes, this is an issue. In many schools, all students with IEPs in a grade are grouped into a single classroom for staffing purposes. For example, if there are ten students with IEPs in a grade, they are often placed together in one classroom with a single special education teacher or instructional assistant. Schools are not hiring enough special education staff to appropriately support students across multiple classrooms, so this grouping becomes a staffing solution rather than an educational one.

Many of these students have IEPs related to behavior and social-emotional needs, often associated with autism, ADHD, or emotional disabilities. With only one special education teacher supporting a large group, these students are not receiving the individualized support their IEPs require. Services such as push-in support for reading or science may amount to only about an hour total, shared among ten students, which is clearly insufficient.

This model is not effective for students with special education needs, and it also disrupts learning for other students in the classroom. My child, who does not have a disability, is placed in this classroom and does not receive the attention or instructional focus they need due to the level of behavioral disruption. This is one of the reasons our family is considering private school or homeschooling.

Unfortunately, this situation does not improve in middle or high school. While I support inclusion, I do not support full inclusion for all students in all settings. Some students with significant behavioral needs require additional staffing or alternative placements to ensure they—and their peers—can learn effectively.

A major part of the problem is funding. Federal law requires schools to comply with IDEA, but federal funding does not adequately support the mandates of the law. At the same time, advocacy for full inclusion has become highly political in this area, and full inclusion is more prevalent here than in other parts of the country. In many other regions, students with significant behavioral needs are placed in separate classrooms or alternative settings that better meet their needs.

Without increased staffing and more flexible placement options, neither students with IEPs nor their peers are being well served.

[/quote]

Thank you for stating the problem with compassion for both sides. It’s a lose-lose situation and ultimately no fault of any of the kids. [/quote]

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