Legislation sponsored by Senator Sean T. Kean that seeks to improve the funding, delivery and effectiveness of special education programs and services for public school students has been approved by the New Jersey Senate. The measure, would create the Task Force on Improving Special Education for Public School Students to study and report how best to achieve that goal.
“There is a huge disparity among New Jersey school districts in both the quality and cost-effectiveness of the education they provide to students with special needs,” said Kean. “In some instances, schools simply do not offer services that students may need, and in others they offer services in a way that is inefficient or ineffective. This special education task force would help all kinds of schools to better serve their students while looking out for taxpayers.”
According to the New Jersey Department of Education, there are about 215,000 students in New Jersey who currently receive special education services, at an average additional cost of $11,000 per pupil beyond what it costs for general education.
Among it’s requirements, the task force would examine issues including: the evaluation of practices for classifying and educating students who are eligible for special education programs and services; the development of best practices for education professionals working with special education students; strategies to reduce the costs associated with placement of eligible students in out-of-district public schools or private schools, including the development of in-district special education programs and services; and the development of standards and appropriate oversights to ensure that programs and services address the needs of students, focus on student achievement, and assess the effectiveness of programs and services.
“We need to do a better job of ensuring that children who depend on special education services are identified properly and to get the help they need,” added Kean. “This special education task force will provide us the forum we need to make sure we get that job done.” TLS.
Do all the children that are in “special education” classes really belong there? Some of the children may just be “slow learners”, as was a friend of mine. He was about to be left back but his parent complained very loudly and he was promoted to the next grade. In that grade he just about passed. However, in the following grades he started to learn very quickly. Today he has a high managerial position in a large telecommunication company – big $$$. Sometimes, with all the children in “special education” classes, I wonder if some/most are put there to enhance the coffers of the school and it’s administration. Just wondering.
at an average additional cost of $11,000….
Why does it cost 20,000.00 per child for special Ed in lakewood?
Who gets to decide which child is eligible for special education and which child is not?
This is a very sticky situation where all other considerations need to be put aside, so that students with special needs are properly identified and become eligible for Special Education at an affordable cost to the School District.
Cheaters should be prosecuted.
Students are evaluated using testing measures to determine eligibility. I suspected my child had delays in speech and language development. I had her tested and the delays were not “significant” enough to qualify. I didn’t agree with the evaluation. When she entered K, the speed teacher screened all students and it was determined she was eligible for speech. Additionally the K teacher recommend evaluation for writing and language. I believe the public CST in Lakewood failed my daughter and skewed results so she wouldn’t be eligible. I’m annoyed because 2 yrs passed when she could have had services.