OSCEOLA COUNTY, Fla. — Parents, teachers, and The Osceola County Education Association are sounding the alarm on the Osceola County School District’s plan to restructure its special education program.
Beginning next school year, the district plans to consolidate special needs classrooms in designated hub schools.
Some high-functioning special needs students, who have only known “self-contained” classrooms, will be moving into general education classes, while kids with more intense special needs could be forced to transfer schools.
The district said the change is a step toward greater inclusion and is needed to comply with state standards.
A spokesperson for the district said Osceola County Schools has “an obligation to provide students with every opportunity to be educated with their non-disabled peers.”
However, special needs parents say they were blindsided by the changes.
Channel 9 spoke with several special needs parents on Thursday who said their kids need routine and believe these changes could reverse their progress.
“They’re going to be ripped from everything that they’ve known…The hub that my son would be in would be a 40 minute on a good day,” said Karin Baker, whose special needs son Colin is currently a 7th grader at Harmony Middle School.
In a Facebook post, the Osceola County Education Association said the changes “will be hard” and would “create more frustration than ever.”
The association sited concerns about increased workloads, since more students with special needs and accommodations will be in general education classes.
“Many general education teachers have not been adequately trained for this transition,” reads the post, “Some student may not be able to access grade-level curriculum effectively, leading to frustration and behavior management issues that will disrupt the learning environment.”
The district said in a statement to Channel 9, staff will receive professional learning through the rest of the year and over the summer in anticipation of the changes.
“Through the inclusive scheduling process, additional supports will be available for general education teachers to implement a student’s Individual Education Plan (”IEP”),” said an Osceola County Schools Spokesperson.
Several teachers told the district during a school board meeting Tuesday that the changes were not practical.
“The plan looks beautiful on paper, but if you have never been in a classroom. You’re not going to know that that’s not reality for most of our students,” said one ESE teacher.
“I’m here to represent my students. I don’t think this is the right direction for them,” said another ESE teacher.
You can view Osceola County School District’s full statement below:
“The Florida Department of Education, Bureau of Exceptional Education and Student Service’s (”BEESS”) target for students in separate classrooms is 12.7% for the current school year. Currently 21.4% of all ESE students in the district are being served in a separate class setting. The school district has an obligation to provide students with every opportunity to be educated with their nondisabled peers. Updates to the Continuum of ESE Services provides an increased level of support for students in their least restrictive environment while simultaneously maximizing the caliber and number of staff addressing the needs of separate class students. It is imperative that students receive a free and appropriate public education in their least restrictive environment designed to meet their unique needs and prepare them for further education, employment, independent living, and post-secondary education.
Providing ESE students, 15% of the district student population, with appropriate support, facilitates growth and success which ultimately benefits everyone. When students receive the resources and encouragement they need to thrive in their least restrictive environment, they become more confident, capable, and engaged, creating a positive impact on the entire community.
There will be opportunity for the remainder of the year and during the summer for staff to receive professional learning. Through the inclusive scheduling process, additional supports will be available for general education teachers to implement a student’s Individual Education Plan (“IEP”) and to provide the necessary supports for students to effectively participate in the general education classroom. District ESE staff will be providing training in March and April for schools designated as hub sites for separate classes.”
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