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Credits: Dr. Linda Parrish; Dr. Tracy Teaff; Dr. Jewel Lockridge; Dr. Lakshmi Mahadevan; Mr. Greg Shipp and Ms. Cheryl Grenwelge.
Note: Our experts are not attorneys and therefore our responses do not carry legal authority. We strongly recommend that educators check with their district’s attorneys for guidance on legal issues.
Additional Concerns
- Why do we have so much paperwork to do on special education students, when in fact that money could be spend on educational tools?
- How can I speed up the paperwork of our students with disabilities?
- Special Education has money, why can’t we have more help?
- Do you know of any services available to students who are drug abusers, alcoholics, panic/anxiety disorders, have obsessive compulsive disorders?
Why do we have so much paperwork to do on special education students, when in fact that money could be spend on educational tools?
We get so hung up on signing paperwork in ARD meetings, we lose touch with the student’s needs. I agree. Unfortunately this is a very litigious area that demands much documentation. In addition, the federal legislation requires certain due process procedures to insure the rights of students and families. The U.S. Congress is in the process of reauthorizing IDEA and one of the big questions is reducing paperwork. I hope that this occurs because like you, I suspect we are often more concerned with “compliance” than “instruction.”
How can I speed up the paperwork of our students with disabilities?
There is a legislatively mandated timeline from referral to testing to placement. Your school administrators should be aware of this. You can find many answers to this type of question on the TEA website : http://www.tea.state.tx.us/ Check out the helpful info on a related hotlink: http://www.tea.state.tx.us/special.ed/medcom/compinfo.html Also, Advocacy, Inc. has many papers on the requirements of ISDs. Their website is: http://www.advocacyinc.org/
Special Education has money, why can’t we have more help?
IDEA does provide a funding stream to provide appropriate education for students with disabilities. Having said that I regret to inform you that when this law was first passed, in 1975, the Congress promised full funding (meaning 40% of the cost of the legislation). 12% of the costs is what we typically receive and the Congress is reviewing their commitment again now as they struggle to reauthorize the act. Carl Perkins also funds CTE programs, of course. And Carl Perkins is in alignment with IDEA and No Child Left Behind.
Do you know of any services available to students who are drug abusers, alcoholics, panic/anxiety disorders, have obsessive compulsive disorders?
The last two categories might qualify for SPED services under Emotionally Disturbed or Other Health Impaired if they have an educational need. The former categories could be served as 504 students, which does not require an educational need, but does protect students from discrimination. 504 students get a plan and services often like students served in SPED; however ISDs do not receive funding for their services.
Last updated: 11 August, 2008
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