Unfortunately, neither the federal government, nor state education departments, have required graduate schools of education to train school staff-to-be thoroughly in even one research-validated methodology of behavior management/modification, such as Applied Behavioral Analysis, which is the most effective program for children with autism.

Similarly, they are not required to train special ed or reading teachers thoroughly in even one research-validated program of reading remediation or instruction for kids with disabilities.

So, of course, parents seek to have their kids placed in nonpublic schools which have experts who are trained in these methodologies and programs.

As for the children “in” public school special ed programs and schools: unfortunately, the best one can often say is that they go in - but they never come out. Which is not the case with the private special ed schools.

This makes public school special ed programs extremely expensive - because they’re predominately ineffective.

The last major study of U.S. special education expenditures showed that when schools were given more federal money for special education, they used it to classify more kids as “learning disabled,” rather than using it to upgrade services and training for staff who worked with kids they had already classified as disabled.

The responsibility - and it’s a negative one - lies with the federal government and state ed departments, which don’t insist that schools of education and districts use the money they do get wisely and effectively.

Unfortunately, there’s no objective data indicating that if we vastly increase the amount of money available for special ed, anything different will happen this time.

DEE ALPERT
Publisher
specialeducationmuckraker.com
New York City

I appreciate your article about special education.

I am an occupational therapist currently working at Plymouth Public Schools. I have also worked in Scottsdale, Arizona, schools and the Dennis-Yarmouth school system.

You really touched on a very real problem of overloaded special ed programs, with unrealistic expectations imposed by the NCLB Act.

I urge The Ledger to take your investigation further to explore the negative impact of the NCLB Act on education; the demands of the Act, without the funding to support such demands, are unreasonable. The design is destined to failure.

The demands for parents, students and teachers are taxing our entire special ed and regular ed programs.

The teachers do not like it; and if you interview them on this subject, I’m sure you would find fierce opposition.

Thank you for being the voice of the people of the South Shore.

LORI FITZPATRICK
Occupational Therapist
Plymouth Public Schools

I read your series on special education because I have a child with special ed needs.

In Grade 7, after years of underperformance, we found out she has ADD. She is in a regular classroom and is a perfectly normal kid, except that she has trouble with focusing.

Medication has helped her tremendously.

She is on an IEP to help her keep organized and learn study and homework skills.

In your series you seem to imply that all special ed students are those with severe disabilities.

In fact, there are many students with mild disabilities who only need a little bit of help to lead normal and productive lives.

The mission of the public schools is, and should be, to educate all their students.

Often it seems that schools ignore those with mild disabilities because they are not being disruptive, and their disabilities are not obvious. They are dismissed as being lazy, stupid, or not caring; not only by the schools, but also possibly by their parents.

The result is a kid with really bad grades who is depressed because they just can’t do the work, no matter how much they try.

More attention needs to be paid to these children by the schools so they can get the help they desperately need.

ELLEN BARRY
Marshfield

I read with great interest your article on special education. As the parent of a regular education child and a special education child, I continue to be amazed at how shortsighted these types of articles are.

Rather than talk about the fact that regular education students are having programs cut because of the rising costs of special education, why not talk about the fact that the majority of students in special education are not getting a “free and appropriate,” education?

Why not focus on the fact that the parents of special education students have to fight tooth and nail for every single service their child receives and then some?

Why not talk about the fact that the majority of special education students are just as able as their regular education peers, given the appropriate interventions in a timely manner?

Why not talk about the fact that the majority of kids in special education comprise roughly 20 percent of our school population as a whole; and those people who don’t have a child that requires special education today will most certainly have a niece, nephew, or grandchild who will require it tomorrow?

Why not talk about the real issue here, which is a lack of funding at the federal level, instead of blaming innocent children for the financial woes in their school district?

Focusing on children with special needs is not productive and is mean-spirited, at best.

The next time you, or someone you love, develops a serious illness, remind me to tell you that you’re taking too much out of an already stressed healthcare system and you’ll need to pay privately or go somewhere else for the life-saving treatment you need.

Then let’s see how you feel when forced to walk in those shoes. . . .

BONNIE POLAKOFF
Concord

I am responding to your story regarding the cost of special education. As a parent of both a high honors and special education student, I have experienced both extremes of the situation.

As much as people feel that the high achiever has been shortchanged in their education because of the mandates of the special needs program, I feel that the honor student has many more opportunities to further and challenge their education received at the high school level.

The special needs student does not have anywhere near the amount of opportunities and deserves to receive as much of an education at the high school level to hopefully help develop an independent life when they leave.

LAURIE BABBITT
Weymouth

The role of government is to provide for those citizens most truly in need, such as special education children.

If I suggested we close the Children’s Hospital to lower healthcare costs for the rest of the citizens in Massachusetts who don’t use the hospital, wouldn’t that be viewed as absurd?

Would someone actually print a story about that?

I don’t know how this story continues to get so much ink. It is based on such a barbaric viewpoint that as a civilized society we cannot make sacrifices to provide the care to those who need more due to their medical condition.

PATTI JENNINGS
South Boston