District 25 Review of Special Education Not a Hit with Parents, Board

Maria Fiore sat through a two and a half hour meeting listening to consultants explain a review of District 25’s special education program, touching on topics like how parents feel they have to “fight” for services and how staff feels parents are demanding services that go beyond federal education requirements.

What Fiore found disconcerting about the review was it didn’t take into account how special education should focus on individual needs, the Arlington Heights mom said.

The spirit of laws regarding special education relate to the individual child and how that child learns, she said.

Do not lose sight of the objective, she told the board of education at a meeting last week discussing the review.

District 25 hired Springfield, Massachusetts-based Futures Education to conduct a review of the Special Services Department’s programs and finances in September. The firm recently released its findings and recommendations. Representatives gave a report at the February 21 school board meeting.

Futures Education’s review of District 25’s Special Services did not get good reviews from parents of special needs students, and even some District 25 Board of Education members.

“There seems to be a misunderstanding in the community," Denise Glasgow, board member said. “This whole thing was presented as an audit. I think that created a scare among your teachers, parents and the community.”

Parents were concerned their children were not going to get the services they are entitled to, Glasgow said.

“I have heard that sentiment since the process began,” said Amiee LeBlanc, director of Special Services Department, adding the district started getting feedback from staff and teachers early in the process and tried to stay away from the term “audit” and used the words “program review.”

“I hope we can communicate this is just something the committee is going to look at, not necessary follow, but look at the data. It’s not a done deal,” Glasgow said. “That, I think, was somehow lost.”

“While we have tried to tell people this is not a cutting of services, I think sometimes it’s hard to take at face value,” LeBlanc said.

But Board member Phil Crusius found the tone of the report troubling because it did seem based on how to reduce costs. “It seemed like that’s where the main emphasis was,” he said. “There are a few references to best practices and student outcome but the report itself does not have a lot of that.”

He also found comments in the report about the district providing too much individual instruction troubling.

Crusius referenced one point “in district programs and services are viewed positively, but may exceed the standards of a Free Appropriate Public Education due to (1) a culture that may be unintentionally hindering student independence (2) parental pressure; and (3) a misunderstanding of the true function of special education,” in the report.

“We believe in excellence in our schools and services,” Crusius said. “I do agree, we have a high standard of services in this community. What is provided is something that has worked…. and is something parents, administrators and experts who are involved seem to like, that’s the appropriate way [to handle the program] each child has their own unique needs.”

The review is not a blueprint for cutting programs, it is not a blueprint for cutting staff, Charles Williams, board vice president said. Anyone who suggests anything else is “fear mongering and absolutely wrong,” he said.

District 25 is trying to change the culture and changes do not come easy, Williams said.

Among the findings is that “there is a group of parents who feel that they have had to ‘fight’ for services and have specific concerns about programs (e.g. the frequent relocation of certain self-contained classrooms.) Staff has noted concerns that some parents’ demands exceed the standard of a Free Appropriate Public Education,” according to the review.

“I certainly see this as the beginning of the process,” District 25 School Board President David Page.

The study will be forwarded to a committee made up of parents, school board members and teachers, which will review the recommendations, Special Services Director Amiee LeBlanc said. The study will be used to help the district develop a mission and strategic plan for its special education program, she said.

The district is also hosting a parent listening session from 1-3 p.m. Friday, March 1 at the Dunton Administration Center, 1200 S. Dunton Ave.

“What we plan to do is listen,” LeBlanc said.