District Officials Unveil Special Education Plan

By Teresa Rochester

For years the school district's special education department has been a hotbed of controversy and the brunt of criticism. At Thursday night's Board of Education meeting, district staff unveiled an ambitious million-dollar roadmap aimed at moving the department forward.

The plan -- which includes, among other things, increased staffing, bringing currently outsourced services in-house and reliving overcrowded special education classrooms -- was crafted by district employees Rose Ecker and Laurel Schmidt, who were charged with turning around the department in May of 1999.

Ecker told the board that the plan for the 2000-2001 school year will run the district $4.85 million in general fund money -- a $1.126 million increase in the department's current budget.

"We've had a very difficult time," Ecker said. "I think, looking at our vision, it's a very important piece. The money will help us do our job better. The budget we proposed includes the new staffing and transition from outsourcing. We were told the local general fund contribution was way too large. Laurel and I are standing firm."

The plan specifically calls for:

· In September 2000, align special education programs at all sites and open new classes to relieve overcrowding.

· Beginning in September 2000, provide comprehensive occupational and physical therapy services at school sites and at the district clinic, using district personnel. The clinic was completed in February 2000. The district would also have to hire three full-time occupational therapists and a supervisor. The staff report states that the current cost to outsource the services costs the district $438,344. Moving the service in-house would cost $223,474 and the district would save $214, 870.

The report states that the move would allow the district to "more effectively monitor progress, insure compliance regarding the frequency and quality of service and monitor costs associated with these services."

· Beginning in September 2000, establish a facility to provide comprehensive services related to autism and communication disorders. The number of autistic students in the district leapt from 26 in 1998-1999 to 54 this year. The proposal calls for services to be administered at one location and initial steps would include two pre-school classrooms, support staff and facilities and behavior intervention services, which are frequently provided for autistic students. The district could potentially save $172,070 moving the service in-house.

· Add support to provide specialized services within the district. This proposal calls for the district to hire a district reading specialist and a full-inclusion specialist, who would work with severely challenged students entering general education classrooms. Currently one full-inclusion specialist for one child runs the district $11,700; an in-house specialist serving multiple schools and students would cost $53,000.

· Add speech pathologist. Current speech staff is currently overburdened with up to 55 cases -- the maximum allowed by the state and their contracts. "Overloading creates delays in assessments and compliance issues," the staff report states.

· Adding to central staff. The department's six-member team lost two members, forcing those who remained to pick up their work load, a move which has sapped the time office staff spent working directly with families, teachers, administrators and site teams. Special education employees in district headquarters also run student services.

Superintendent Neil Schmidt unveiled a plan to establish a new assistant superintendent of student services and special education, a position that is usually reserved for larger school districts. Schmidt urged the board to think outside the box on the matter and to move quickly. The board will discuss the proposal at its next meeting.

"I think we are at a juncture where we need to take a very hard look at not only our plans with the children but also with staff," said Schmidt, who is no relation to Laurel. "I think from an organization point of view this is the next step. It's a big jump and it may be viewed as top heavy. I don't view it as top heavy."

Board President Todd Hess expressed concern about the cost of the proposal, while other board members and community members praised the plan saying it was a long time in coming.

"I think we'd be remiss if we didn't mention that this proposal would commit 25 to 30 percent of all additional revenue to one part of our budget and I personally feel uncomfortable with that," said Hess.

"I want the board members to step up to the plate and give special education an extra hand," said Linda Saffin, whose son Alec is an 11th grader at Santa Monica High School. "You have a real opportunity to do a really honorable thing for all students in the district."

"I'm strongly supportive of this," said board member Dorothy Chapman. "It doesn't seem like we're rushing. To me it's been a three year process, with last year being the most painful. We need to be assertive to put together a full team."

Last year the district received particularly harsh criticism from parents of special education students when media outlets reported that district officials blamed special education for the district's financial wows. The public pummeling led to the hiring of Ecker and Laurel Schmidt to turn the beleaguered department around.

In October of 1999 the pair held two workshops to gauge the needs of special education parents and teachers. What they found was a culture of distrust, frustration and non-compliance along with overcrowded classrooms, piecemeal services, high turnover and little ongoing training.

Schmidt described to the board the immediate changes implemented by the pair, including intensified recruiting (using the term Special Education by the Sea to attract prospective teachers), ongoing training and support -- including a support group for new teachers, workshops on special education law and focus groups with parents.

"The process of being at these focus groups was very rewarding ," said Schmidt. "It was an amazing process. It's not done. This is just phase one."