Special education fund cuts has parents worried in Boston and the state's school districts have started adopting new measures. Boston schools have expanded special education classes to add one more student and parents say this might affect the quality of education and support the special needs kids receive.
What Are The Expanded Special Education Classes Like?
Special education classes for children with autism or emotional impairments in Boston schools have a maximum size of nine students per class, where there is one teacher and one or two teacher aides. In the new expanded program, classes will now have ten students maximum, but the size of the staff remains the same due to budget constraints.
The addition of one student might not be a big deal in a regular class, but this is not the case for children with special needs. Parents believe that the dynamics could affect the children's learning experience and gains, when the current system has been working so far.
"I can't even fathom what that must be like," said one mom of a child with autism, Sonia Garufi, per Boston Globe. "Because the kids that are in substantially separate really need intense help."
Boston School Heads Defends Special Education Class Expansion
The state defends the new measure by emphasizing that the changes for special education classes were carefully deliberated. Special education funds for the next school year is actually a quarter of the overall budget and it is an increase from last year. What changed is the formula to which these funds have to be applied.
Check out Budget Basics - an explainer of the proposed FY '17 @BostonSchools budget. Vote scheduled tonight. https://t.co/4uFWxq9sqm
— BostonPublicSchools (@BostonSchools) March 23, 2016
Boston cannot maintain the same amount of staff in special classes because of rising costs. However, the state is still below the maximum limit of students per class for kids with special needs compared to other states which have 12 students.
Special education classes in Boston schools will also adopt a new data system, which cost about $1 million, to let parents evaluate their children's "individualized education program," per Boston. This will enable kids to be more prepared for their transition, when they finally move on to college or work their first job.
