Here is a copy of the letter I sent out. I sent it to a few Senators that have helped me in the past, the Texas Education Agency, two advocacy groups, the school board, the school board trustees, teachers, principals, and the news media. :smile:
I bleeped out all identifying information.
To Whom It May Concern,
My name is Stephanie #$%^. My daughter, Sabrina currently attends #$%^ Elementary in *()_% ISD. She is part of the Functional Academics program which is part of the Special Education Department.
Since Kindergarten my childs school has changed EVERY single year due to the FISD moving her special education classes. Every year I hear the same excuse given that the school they are in is at capacity. So essentially, they are saying that the regular education students need more room and take priority over Special Education needs.
The Special Education students are the one group of students that should have the most consistency and stability to be successful in the school careers. Yet ISD has never recognized this. Studies have proven over and over again that these kids need this. It isnt just keeping the same teacher, but also it is having the same school, surroundings, and peers.
The Special Education students in ##### are treated as second class citizens. Every time someone decides they need more room, they are moved to another campus. I am sure some regular education students have felt the growing pains of ISD but NONE of them have been moved every single year by the school district.
I thought I would give everyone a little background on my daughters journey through the Special Education department.
Sabrina started in Kindergarten at $$$$ Elementary. The staff there was completely unequipped to handle a child with special needs. The counselor there had no clue how to deal with special needs children and caused more rages and conduct problems. The principal, Martha &&&&&&, made things even worse. Her only answer to everything was to suspend my child. She was suspended 3 times and sent home for half days countless numbers of times just the first semester of Kindergarten.
At that point I had an independent evaluation done at Childrens at my own cost since the school was not helping. She was tested for every learning disability, seizure disorder, autism etc. She was stabilized on medication there. When she was released from there after 3 weeks, she was put into the BAU.
#######, a former BAU teacher, was the most amazing teacher for Sabrina. The only problem was that at that time the most convenient place for these small children to be was at the SOC. The SOC is the Student Opportunity Center. They were in the same building with teenagers that were on the verge of expulsion. While the teacher and the principal there were wonderful, this was no place for small children to be. But again, this was the most convenient place to put them for ####. No regard for what is appropriate for the children or least restrictive.
Next, the BAU class was transferred her 1st grade year to %%%%. This was the same nightmare as it was when she was in Kindergarten and first started school. Mrs. &&&&& and her team made it quite clear that the BAU was not welcome in her school. I could write a novel on all the issues at this school.
In 2nd grade her class was transferred to *****. At R**** my daughter did wonderfully. She was almost completely mainstreamed with all the supports in place and the wonderful staff there. At the last minute when the class was moving there, they needed another regular education room so the BAU was put into a storage room instead of a classroom. The room had one door and no windows. I was very unhappy when I saw this but since the staff was so accepting and supporting, I let it go even though once again, special education took a back seat to regular education children by taking their classroom. How many regular education classrooms are in storage closets in ISD? I have a feeling that none of them are.
I tried to fight the move from $$$$$ at the end of her 2nd grade year but $$$$$$ made it very clear that no one would listen and there was nothing I could do.
In 3rd grade the BAU was moved to ***** Elementary. At ***** by the middle of the year they had students put into the class that were very aggressive and violent. My daughter came home terrified and in tears because of what she saw in her classroom. I opted to try the Functional Academics class. This meant another move to (((((((( Elementary to Mrs K's room.
Mrs S was wonderful but &&&&& Elementary is completely incompetent when it comes to educating special children. My daughter was coming home with art projects every day. I thought it was strange that I never saw homework or work that was done in the classroom. It turned out that her regular education teacher had her sitting at the back of the room coloring and using construction paper all day long with no formal instruction at all. She never once read my daughters IEP. She assumed that she was in her class for socialization only. My daughter is NOT mentally retarded. When I asked her why she was in the back of the room, I was told it was because she had other students to attend to that needed attention. An emergency ARD was called and the problem was solved to the best of their ability. She moved her to the front of the class but never helped with Sabrinas assignments. It is the regular education teachers duty to modify and give Sabrina her assignments for class. She never did this. &&&&& did all of this for her since she refused and commented that she didnt know what to do.
Now we are in her 4th grade year. Sabrina has flourished in ***** Elementary. The teachers are wonderful with Sabrina. At the beginning of the year the teachers explained that Sabrina has special issues and made her peers much more comfortable with her. Sabrina for the first time has regular education friends. Everyone is so accepting and supportive at *****. Sabrina was elected to Student Council this year and is also in Safety Patrol. Her social skills have improved greatly because of all the support and encouragement she has received at ******.
I received a letter stating that ISD wants to move her once again this time to **** Elementary. While I have heard great things about ***** Elementary I do not think this is in the best interest of the students that are in the Functional Academics class. These kids need stability and consistency. ISD is NOT providing this by bouncing the children from school to school every year that they think the school is at capacity.
I spoke with the Director of Special Education today. I spoke with her about my concerns and frustrations with this issue. She spoke with Mr. Wehmeyer and they are willing to look into accommodating Sabrina at &&&&& next year using the Resource room as her Special Education Support. For this, I am grateful but this isnt just about staying at Corbell. This is an issue that &&&&&& ISD needs to address and be made aware of what they are doing to these special students.
It astounds me that a district with so many resources can not find a permanent placement for these classrooms. Why are they always the first to go when it comes to rezoning or capacity issues? My daughters Functional Academics classroom only has 4 students in it currently. These 4 children take up so much room that &&&&& Elementary cant possibly keep them? If this is a school construction problem, why hasnt this been remedied? There have been several new schools built each year but they are built exactly the same. No thought is ever put into special education student placement until the school has a large number of children
and then it is always the same answer. Move the whole classroom.
I have sent emails to the Superintendent in the past since I am told he is the one who makes the final decisions on this type of issue but have never received a response from him. I have received a few responses from other school trustees. Why is it that the final decision maker can not respond to this?
I will be attending the next school board meeting. I am copying a friend at the Dallas Morning news and I will be sending this to NBC5.I also posted my concerns on the community message board. Below this letter I am copying some of the responses from other local residents about this issue. I am also contacting the parents of other Special Education students for their input as well. The Texas Education Agency will also be contacted since it is clear that ISD is in need of serious help in the Special Education Department and zoning issues. The continued disregard for the well being of children with special needs in this district need to be brought to light and a resolution needs to be found.
Thank you,