Montgomery County’s integration of special-needs students angers some parents

By Daniel deVise in the Washington Post

See related post: Law opens opportunities for students with disabilities

Students like Victoria Miresso are among the first generation of students with disabilities to attend integrated classrooms in their neighborhood schools in Montgomery County, Maryland. The parents of the sixth-grader, who previously attended school in a segregated setting, say she is not learning and that other students tease her.

Phasing out the self-contained classrooms for special education students in middle and high school ranks among the most controversial decisions made by the district’s superintendent, who has held his post since 1999.

The conflict illustrates a broader schism within the special education community over inclusion, a national effort to break down the walls that have separated special-needs students from their peers. Some parents want their special-needs children exposed to the brisk academics and complex social tapestry of a suburban neighborhood school. Others, including [Victoria's parents], do not.

… School system leaders say the transition, grade by grade, away from learning centers has been a resounding success. All sixth-grade teachers and hundreds of aides responsible for serving the students attended mandatory training over the summer. Case managers were assigned to each of the 70 students being mainstreamed, most of whom had attended elementary school learning centers, which are not being closed. Each student has been monitored over the year, and extra staff assigned as needed to help them succeed. A parent survey, given this fall, found just two parents dissatisfied with inclusion, although only 24 families responded.

This entry was posted on Monday, March 17th, 2008 at 7:30 am and is filed under NOT2BEMISSED, disabilities, education, inclusion, intellectual/developmental disabilities, mainstreaming, special education. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.  Email This Post