Anonymous wrote:As a teacher in classic autism who has worked with both our building psychologist and our autism psychologist, there is a huge differenced. I think they're all trained the same but it's more about the level of experience. It was a huge learning curve for me to jump into working with kids with cognitive disabilities. This is a low incidence population so I don't think the usual psychologist comes across a lot of ID kids regularly. The autism psychologists almost exclusively are working with our kids whose IQs are below 75 - it takes a lot more work and time to get used to each kid and get results. The building psychologist has done a few assessments for move in/home school model kids who have been placed with us temporarily. You can tell they are not comfortable with our kids and usually "attempt" an IQ test and when they can't get the student to do it in a short time frame they check the box that they tried and move on. We need these scores to qualify them for alo (non-diploma track) and to help get them services later when they become adults. It'll be a huge disservice to lose this expertise! I also don't understand why you think they have less accountability... the Autism Unit is much smaller than the psychology department so I would think they have more oversight, not less.

+1 Absolutely... it's the difference between having a specialist or a generalist in any field. Why are they wasting the expertise that's been cultivated?

If you look at the budget on page 137 you can see that the supervisor and admin secretary positions for the units were cut - and now I guess all these areas will just have support from one supervisor and one coordinator? These people do not have specific expertise in autism or any of these areas if they're the current people in charge now.

https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/siteassets/district/departments/budget/fy2027/2027operatingbudget.pdf

To answer some questions about the Autism Unit as someone who used to work in the special ed office... they are not serving ALL autistic kids in the county, though they will provide consults as needed. They are working directly with the most highly impacted kids. The biggest program is "classic autism," which serves kids who also have cognitive disabilities. The quality is going to drop substantially without a supervisor who understands the program and my gut feeling is that the new special ed leaders are going to use the remaining autism specialists to push into other schools to help with the rise in behaviors of autistic kids out in the neighborhood schools. The program actually is based in ABA, which requires a lot of ongoing training and support of the teachers to maintain quality instruction. I don't think the new leadership understands the gem they have and how much money it has actually saved the county by keeping these kids out of private schools. And as an aside-- there are no spots in these schools either, so what will happen to the kids who need more?

Anonymous wrote:Are all school psychologists not trained the same? I do think there is value in having one building psychologist who is in the same building full time. Why would a psychologist advocate to be in multiple buildings, more freedom and less accountability. I would think all school psychologists would have training to complete autism assessments.

As a teacher in classic autism who has worked with both our building psychologist and our autism psychologist, there is a huge differenced. I think they're all trained the same but it's more about the level of experience. It was a huge learning curve for me to jump into working with kids with cognitive disabilities. This is a low incidence population so I don't think the usual psychologist comes across a lot of ID kids regularly. The autism psychologists almost exclusively are working with our kids whose IQs are below 75 - it takes a lot more work and time to get used to each kid and get results. The building psychologist has done a few assessments for move in/home school model kids who have been placed with us temporarily. You can tell they are not comfortable with our kids and usually "attempt" an IQ test and when they can't get the student to do it in a short time frame they check the box that they tried and move on. We need these scores to qualify them for alo (non-diploma track) and to help get them services later when they become adults. It'll be a huge disservice to lose this expertise! I also don't understand why you think they have less accountability... the Autism Unit is much smaller than the psychology department so I would think they have more oversight, not less.

Anonymous wrote:

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.

LOL Sure nonverbal students with autism were just “labeled” for money. Thanks Taylor for joining the chat. Is that why you refuse to even step foot into an autism classroom? Are you afraid to meet the most severely impacted children in person?

My kid isn't autistic at all. They were just trying to get funds by misclassifying him.

Your child was nonverbal but not autistic? You know what nonverbal means?

More like ESL.

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.

LOL Sure nonverbal students with autism were just “labeled” for money. Thanks Taylor for joining the chat. Is that why you refuse to even step foot into an autism classroom? Are you afraid to meet the most severely impacted children in person?

My kid isn't autistic at all. They were just trying to get funds by misclassifying him.

Your child was nonverbal but not autistic? You know what nonverbal means?

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.

LOL Sure nonverbal students with autism were just “labeled” for money. Thanks Taylor for joining the chat. Is that why you refuse to even step foot into an autism classroom? Are you afraid to meet the most severely impacted children in person?

My kid isn't autistic at all. They were just trying to get funds by misclassifying him.

Are all school psychologists not trained the same? I do think there is value in having one building psychologist who is in the same building full time. Why would a psychologist advocate to be in multiple buildings, more freedom and less accountability. I would think all school psychologists would have training to complete autism assessments.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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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.

she won't be replaced at all, they cut the position. Kris is amazing, this is a huge loss to MCPS and autism students and families.

The new Special Ed Chief is horrible, personally and professionally.

Dr. Cage has not impressed me thus far in public presentations.

Anonymous wrote:

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.

Oh please, here is the ubiquitous Moran-basher making hyperbolic and flimsy allegations again!

Moran has been around much longer than Taylor and has made a lot of bad judgment calls and decisions. SPED should get more funding, not less as if kids aren't meeting grade level proficiency, they should ALL be test for learning and other issues, and get the help they deserve.

Anonymous wrote:

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.

she won't be replaced at all, they cut the position. Kris is amazing, this is a huge loss to MCPS and autism students and families.

The new Special Ed Chief is horrible, personally and professionally.

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.

This school district is tightly held in the hands of Thomas Taylor. everyone else is just following orders.

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.

Oh please, here is the ubiquitous Moran-basher making hyperbolic and flimsy allegations again!

Anonymous wrote:

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?

And she provided invaluable support to schools struggling to meet the needs of seriously impacted students with autism. This reduction is services is malpractice.

Anonymous wrote:

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.

I’m sure the ig knows. Of course he’s behind at least part, if not all. It’s not starling money, it’s mismanagement.

Yep, the middle school I worked at lost their ARS Resource Teacher (I am not sure of her title). Now, it falls on the RTSE. The RTSE cannot do it all. The support from Central Office is non-existent and they take forever to answer questions.