NJ school district starts in-district autism program, but why
The school board of Ewing Township will save $250,000 by starting an in-distict autism/kindergarten program for 5-7 year olds in the 2006-2007 school year. As today’s NJ.com reports regarding the program:
This will enhance students’ ability to function and provides education in a less restrictive environment,” said Dennis Nettle ton, business administrator for the district.
“This is one of the largest bills we pay as a budget,” said Superintendent Raymond Broach.
Board member Samuel Hood expressed concern that spending less money would re sult in fewer services available to the stu dents and that they would be at a disadvan tage.
“How do we rationalize this huge difference? I just want to make sure we’re not doing this for budgetary reasons,” Hood said.
I concur with Mr. Hood’s concerns. While another board member, Mary Lou Kramli, is quoted as saying “‘”We all know there’s an epidemic of autism in our country. I am very happy to see this. If possible we can bring in children of the higher levels and have these kids live as normal a life as possible,’” the kind of mainstreaming mentioned is in the lunchroom.
In one of his former public school autism programs, Charlie did eat lunch in the lunchroom, with a circle of aides surrounding him and his autistic classmates.
With Ewing Township board member Samuel Hood I must ask, is the Ewing Township autism program being created to provide the best educational opportunity for its students—-or for “budgetary reasons”?
Related Stories
POSTED IN: Education, Legal Issues, Treatment
7 opinions for NJ school district starts in-district autism program, but why
Rose
Jul 1, 2006 at 4:04 am
Frankly, I think the schools are starting to “own up” that some kids don’t fit the mold set for them. The best and the brightest teachers today are going into depth about learning styles and teaching to the child rather than to the curriculum. I really think it is a trend.
They are saving money, yes…but also they are preparing for a future where all children will be integrated into the public schools fully. All children will be taught in appropriate ways.
For the asses who believe money is “wasted” on special ed…money is a good incentive to change. But there are other who truly believe that a public school system should be for ALL school children, as the Public Law 94-142 mandated thirty years ago. Being the great monolith it is, public education is waking up and figuring out what the “appropriate” means.
Of course I could be saying all this because I just got hired into the public school system, HA!
But one thing I wish I could somehow put across is the “protectiveness” of the administrators that I met regarding our kids. They think we mothers are bad!
None of this existed 25 years ago when I graduated from college. Even today, frustrated parents end up sending their kids to special schools because the public schools just don’t get it.
I think they are starting to get it. I can’t imagine a more exciting time to be in Special Education than today, as teachers wake up to the needs our kids have. I, also, because of the autism-hub, am starting to wake up…and I will carry the seed of what I learn here into the school.
Sorry for the novel….
Kristina Chew, PhD
Jul 1, 2006 at 5:46 am
Rose, I can’t say how much I learn from your writing about your experiences—I am learning everyday more and more about special ed, about teaching Charlie. We have had some more and less positive experiences in public school districts—–it’s because of parents and teachers like yourself who are informed and can advocate that things are so much, much better.
Congratulations on the job!
Autism Vox » Sometimes you’ve just to be abrasive
Jul 1, 2006 at 6:35 am
[…] Rose’s comment on my post NJ school district starts in-district autism program, but why gives a good perspective from a parent and a teacher about special ed over the past 25 years. One hopes that we can all work as partners with school districts with our kids’ best interests in mind. […]
Autism Vox » Sometimes you just have to be abrasive
Jul 1, 2006 at 6:41 am
[…] Rose’s comment on my post NJ school district starts in-district autism program, but why gives a good perspective from a parent and a teacher about special ed over the past 25 years. One hopes that we can all work as partners with school districts with our kids’ best interests in mind. […]
tichel
Sep 14, 2007 at 10:40 am
I think it is a very good thing that Ewing Township is starting an in-district autism program. I only wish that the age group started at 2 or 3 years rather then 5. I have worked in daycare for over 15 years and we are seeing more and more children with autism. Sadly, childcare teachers are not trained to deal with them. Instead of kids getting the help they need, they are looked at as a burden and get into a lot of trouble. Maybe if there were centers or programs where teachers were trained to deal with autism at an early age, then it may help the children at the age of 5 to be even more prepared for school. After all, isn’t the reason for the program to hel the CHILDREN. Its not about dollars and cents. Heven knows we waste enough money on stupid thing. It is long past time that we started useing money for the betterment of our children rather then just making someone richer.
Kristina Chew, PhD
Sep 14, 2007 at 11:41 am
A lot of towns have preschool programs—-on a bit of a different topic, one thing that I have long been interested in is daycare for autistic kids. Even for a few hours (and even if I had to pay more than the usual rate). One of my biggest challenges is to arrange my work hours so I can get home to meet Charlie at the bus. If he could go to an afterschool program even briefly, that would make things easier.
Karen Jackson
Oct 9, 2007 at 12:54 pm
Hi,
My name is Karen Jackson, I am a kindergarten paraprfessional in the Trenton public school district. During the summer months I had a chance to work for the special needs program here in Trenton. It was a Autistic setting. It was a challange and will continue to be, if someone do not step in and give the right traning to all staff. These types of children are so smart and loving, it is us the (normal minds) who need the help. I will pray that evthing works our for the good……
Have an opinion? Leave a comment: