Special Education News Articles
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Special Education in the US: A History & Systems of Support
From a recent presentation we gave in Portland, OR. This slideshow provides, 1) a brief historical overview of societal attitudes towards disability and special education, 2) Ten Basic Steps in the special education process, 3) Effective educational practices, and 4) Resources from OSEP's TA&D Network. Feel free to embed slideshow in your webpage or blog!
Students, teachers and school board members from around the Connecticut were in Hartford on Wednesday to talk with legislators about state support for public education. WNPR’s Melissa Smith reports.
More than a hundred public school supporters gathered at the capitol for the Connecticut Association of Boards of Education’s annual “Day on the Hill”. Trumbull high school teacher Eric August wants state leaders to preserve funding for local municipalities. With the state facing a $515 milion shortfall this year, August is concerned that cuts to cities and towns could mean cuts to critical educational services.
"I mean, the adage is children are the future and if you cut back on what's going to make them better, well then you're really going to affect the future."
Simsbury high school student Tucker Pope says local schools are struggling to implement many education mandates from the state.
"It really hurt to have to kind of pay for things the legislator passes down to us without giving us any kind of funds to support it."
And he’s especially concerned about funding for the rising cost of special education…
"Paraprofessionals and special education teachers are kind of a backbone of our high school and without them our high school wouldn't have the same quality education."
Among its 2010 legislative priorities, CABE is urging the state to develop a fair funding formula for Open Choice, Magnet and Charter Schools, and to phase in secondary school reform only when federal state and local resources become available.
For WNPR, I’m Melissa Smith.
