Please advocate for increased pay for Learning Center/Classic Autism Positions. These positions are extremely intense with threadbare planning time. As a result, they are literally the last ones filled on MCPS careers. Turnover is ridiculous and some don't even make it to teacher certification. A 10-15K salary endorsement for Learning Center teachers would change staffing concerns overnight. We need special education teacher with years of experience and experience in these positions. It should be seen as an elite assignment--not an in for someone with a conditional license.

^^ this. In addition, the kids with behavior problems get dumped in Learning Centers. Special Ed is a mess in MoCo - and it used to be a shining star, started with cuts by Smith. Live in the best place you can afford in the least expensive area and go private (Ivy Mount, McLean School, Field, Sienna - depends on your child's level of needs)

Anonymous wrote:The entire issue is insane, everywhere in any school in MCPS where there are learning centers. The kids needs CANNOT be met in a normal school. Why are we torturing them and putting their safety at risk, while compromising the education of NT students? They need special accommodations. That includes staff and also buildings where the doors can be locked so they don't bolt, and where they have lots of extra things they actually enjoy. The system as is is a farce.

Learning Centers didn't used to be this way. They have gradually become a dumping ground. Part of the problem was the Maryland law change in 2017 that prohibited school systems from taking students off diploma track without parent consent unless they sued the family in due process. It used to be that if a student met the legal requirements for certificate track, school systems could take them off diploma track and parents would have to sue and prove that it was not appropriate, otherwise it would go into effect. Now it's flipped.

The problem is that Learning Centers are the last stop on the diploma track train, the most restrictive and supportive placement you can get while still being on diploma track. So if a child is really more appropriate for the LFI or SCB or Classic Autism classes, but either the parents are in denial about the severity of the disability or the school is too chicken to be honest and wants the path of least resistance, the child will be dumped in a Learning Center class. Which isn't staffed for those levels of needs, because in theory the program is not designed for that, and has basically has become diploma track in name only. The whole thing is a farce.

The entire issue is insane, everywhere in any school in MCPS where there are learning centers. The kids needs CANNOT be met in a normal school. Why are we torturing them and putting their safety at risk, while compromising the education of NT students? They need special accommodations. That includes staff and also buildings where the doors can be locked so they don't bolt, and where they have lots of extra things they actually enjoy. The system as is is a farce.

I have NT kids at RVES and the LC staff is trying so hard but there aren’t enough staff. The whole community has tried to advocate but MCPS just doesn’t care. It’s disheartening.

Hopefully it gets better but I fear it won’t until someone sues or is seriosuly injured.

Anonymous wrote:Hello, our family is moving to Moco with a special needs child in elementary school. Anyone with a child with an IEP and at the Rock View Elementary School, learning center? How is the staffing and does the school implement the IEP properly?

Current mom of a 2nd grader at Rockview Learning Center. There is a massive problem with overcrowding and not enough staff. There was recently a community meeting about it with MCPS leadership. Nothing is being done as far as I can tell. MCPS is slashing budgets for SPED. It’s a mess.

And no, the IEP is not being followed.

Hello, our family is moving to Moco with a special needs child in elementary school. Anyone with a child with an IEP and at the Rock View Elementary School, learning center? How is the staffing and does the school implement the IEP properly?