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Special Education Program Implementation Update

Special Education Program Implementation Update. Susan B. Mitchell Director of Special Education February 10, 2009. Purpose of Presentation. Provide an update on Special Education programs and services Review Special Education costs

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Special Education Program Implementation Update

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  1. Special Education Program Implementation Update Susan B. Mitchell Director of Special Education February 10, 2009

  2. Purpose of Presentation • Provide an update on Special Education programs and services • Review Special Education costs • Provide an update on recommendations from Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team report completed in August 2006 • Program Recommendations for 2009-2010 school year

  3. Prior to 1975 (Special Education not required) 100,000+ students out of school Federal Law created due to several lawsuits Public Law P.L. 94-142 (1975) Free and Appropriate Public Education Child Find Provision Reauthorization 1997 -Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA) 1997 Individually designed services Participate and make progress in General Education Accountability Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (known as IDEA 2004) Focus on Accountability Focus on Improving educational results and functional outcomes Emphasis on reading, math and science with heightened responsibilities for general and special education collaboration Scientifically researched strategies and Response to Intervention (RtI) Special Education History

  4. Numbers/Percentages Served

  5. High Cost Disabilities, 3-22

  6. What are the costs?(07-08) • Total Special Education Revenue: $8,132,263 • Base Revenue: $1,861,510 • Total Revenue: $9,993,773 • Expenditures ($15,449,224) • General Fund Contribution $5,455,451 • General Fund % of Expenditures 35.31%(of $15,449,224)

  7. 08-09 Anticipated General Fund Contribution Increase • $1,862,321 Increase • Why? • Lack of available personnel • Contracted Speech Therapists • Contracted Behavioral Support Services • New teachers requiring on-going support • Increased complexity of student needs • Autism and Emotional Disturbance • Increase in paraprofessional support • Increase in cost for transportation services

  8. Fiscal Crisis & Management Assistance Team (FCMAT) Report • Team visited and interviewed District in April 2006 • Report completed in August 2006 • 121 recommendations • Program Efficiency and Delivery • Staffing • Non-Public Schools / Non-Public Agency Costs • Transportation • Legal • Accounting Processes • Special Education Local Plan Agency Reorganization

  9. Progress to Date:

  10. Program Efficiency & Delivery • Progress to Date: • Continuum of Special Education Programs • Resource Specialist Programs & Related Services • Mild/Moderate and Moderate/Severe Special Day Classes • Counseling Enriched Classes (CEC) (3rd-12th grades) • Continuum of Autism Programs • Inclusion (K-12) • BRIDGE Program (K-8) • Elementary Autism Supported Inclusion (EASI) • Intensive Special Day Class (Preschool-8th grade)

  11. Program Efficiency & Delivery • Progress to Date: • One-to-One Instructional Assistance • Specialized Health Care • Medi-Cal and Medi-Cal Administrative Activities (MAA) Billing

  12. Program & Efficiency • Next Steps: • 2009-2010 • Build the infrastructure of existing programs • 2009-2010 to 2010-2011 • Expansion of existing programs • Counseling Enriched Classes • Intensive needs autism high school class • 2009-2010 to 2011-2012 • Develop new district programs • Center-Based early intervention program • Expansion of services for 18-22 year olds

  13. Staffing • Progress to Date: • August 2008-New Lead Speech/Language Therapist job position • September 2008: • 4 - District Speech Therapists • 8 - Non-Public Agency Speech Therapists • January 2009 • 4 - Additional District Speech Therapists, replacing Non-Public Agency staff

  14. Staffing • Progress to Date: • New Special Education Teachers • Require mentoring, training and staff development • Behavior Specialist • Job posted and in process of interviewing • School Psychologists • High workload to meet assessment, behavioral and counseling demands • Occupational Therapists • Two District Occupational Therapists • Additional positions provided by Non-Public Agency • Special Education Nurse • Provided by Non-Public Agency

  15. Staffing • Next Steps: • Recruit and Hire: • District Speech Therapists • Highly Qualified Special Education Teachers • Additional School Psychologist • Additional Occupational Therapist • District Special Education Nurse • Continue to provide mentoring, training and staff development

  16. Non-Public Schools &Non-Public Agencies • 2008-2009 Costs • Non-Public Schools- $1,436,900 • Projected increase- $150,000 • Non-Public Agencies - $840,800 • Projected increase- $285,000

  17. Non-Public Schools • Progress to Date: • Slight decline in number of students but cost per student has increased • Next Steps: • Review all placements to determine which students are ready to return to district programs

  18. High Cost Non-Public Agency Services • Progress to Date: • High Costs continue for the following Non-Public Agency Services: • Behavioral Support Services • Provide training to staff • Provide behavioral support to classes • Develop functional analysis assessments • Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA) • Occupational Therapy Services

  19. Non-Public School and Non-Public Agency Costs • Next Steps: • Continuum of District Special Education Programs to reduce number of students placed in Non-Public Schools: • Autism • Emotional Disturbance • Moderate/Severe Disabilities • District Special Education positions to reduce dependency on Non-Public Agencies: • Hire behavior specialist • Additional psychologist • Additional occupational therapist • Special Education Nurse

  20. Transportation • Progress to Date: • New transportation company • Cost- $1.4M • Next Steps: • Reduce costs • Consolidate routes • Explore options

  21. AUSD Special Education • Provide students Free and Appropriate Public Education in the Least Restrictive Environment • Compliance • Highly Qualified Staff • Partnership with General Education • Partnership with Parents • Fiscal Responsibility

  22. Summary • How do we build the infrastructure of existing programs? • Hire District staff to reduce dependency on Non-Public Agencies • Speech Therapists • Behavior Specialist • Additional Psychologist • Additional Occupational Therapist • Half-time District Special Education Nurse • Cost Neutral because District is currently paying Non-Public Agencies for these services that support our existing programs.

  23. Questions?

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