Spokane7
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July 28, 2011 in City
District recommends rehiring instructional aides
Board urges adding early intervention teachers
Just two weeks away from adoption of Spokane Public Schools’ 2011-’12 budget, dozens of instructional assistants’ jobs remain on the chopping block.
The district administration has balanced the budget and plugged the $13 million hole, and on Wednesday recommended bringing back up to 40 of the 59 positions – all of which are designated to the classrooms of children with mild learning disabilities. The state gave the district $500,000 more than anticipated for special education.
But the school board had other ideas, asking the administration to explore adding at least five early intervention elementary teachers and bringing back fewer instructional assistants.
Those five teachers would each split their time between two elementary schools, evaluating students and coordinating with their general education teachers in an effort to keep them out of the special education program.
“Obviously our school board members have never been in a special education resource room to see the important role IAs play every day in the lives of our students,” said Jenny Rose, Spokane Education Association president. “We have used the intervention teacher model and it doesn’t work.”
She added, regardless, “you don’t make a model change one month before school starts.”
The executive director of special education will have to determine if they can implement the intervention model, said Mark Anderson, associate superintendent. With recent data about Spokane’s special education graduation rate being as much as 20 percent below the state level, it’s clear to officials “what we are doing (in that program) now isn’t working.”
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greeneyeszoe on July 28 at 2:54 p.m.
Four years ago I ran for the school board with a platform that we were leaving our special education students behind and pushing them to the side. The school district is just realizing that there is a problem with our special education students. How surprising is that? It is a waste of money to create four intervention teachers position when it can be done with the school and with a few instructional assistance (cheaper). They neglected these student to long and now they are concern.
ConcernedMama on July 28 at 9:33 p.m.
As the mother of a special needs child I know first hand how powerful Instructional Assistants have been in helping my child reach their daily goals. My husband and I are both incredibly pleased with the progress she makes each year. I can not imagine where my child will be next year without an IA to help with her support services. My child needs more help than a teacher splitting time between buildings can offer. My child needs the resource services she has always had. There is no doubt that the IA that serves my daughter is well qualified to do the job. I do not understand why the effort is to keep my daughter and kids like her out of special ed. The fact is some kids need special ed resources. The beauty of resource IAs is that they offer that special ed support, while allowing the student to flourish in the least restrictive setting possible.