Schools

Education Consultant Raises Alarm Over School Personnel Changes

What we need is long term, visionary leadership. We need out of the box thinking-not solving problems using bureaucratic "smoke and mirrors," writes Nicole Bucka.

The following is an open letter to the East Greenwich School Committee and community members by Nicole Bucka.

My name is Nicole Bucka and I am an Education Consultant for the Rhode Island Department of Education specializing in Response to Intervention and Special Education research based practices.  I am also a consultant with The National Center on Intensive Intervention (out of Washington DC funded through the US Office of Special Education Programs and the American Institute for Research), a member of the Intra-Agency Coordinating Council (Governor appointed council to advise IDEA Part C-special needs in early childhood), and a regular contributor to the Joint Commission to study Autism in Rhode Island joining Representative Palumbo and Senator O’Neill.  I also have two sons with Autism Spectrum Disorders currently in pre-school and Kindergarten at Meadowbrook Farms Elementary (MFE).

I am writing today to share my concerns with regards to the personnel changes proposed for MFE that will remove a teacher with extensive training in evidence based practices for Autism to another school, leaving no highly qualified teachers or programming (for Autism) at MFE.

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To be clear, Brad Wilson is quoted as saying "no IEP is being changed".  Changed IEPS is not the issue-the issue is that the IEPs cannot be fulfilled with these proposed changes.  It is not just the loss of staff, it is the loss of staff that have specialized training with regards to Autism.  These parents are not being overly emotional and this is not just "upsetting", we have a legal right to ask the district for what specialized training the remaining teachers have (disability specific) and we have done so, but have gotten no answer. No transparency.  In fact, one special educator isn't being moved (and is lower on seniority) because she has training in the new computer information system adopted by the district for IEPs. Is it appropriate to keep special educators because of their specialized training in the computer system while disregarding their skill set as an educator of students with disabilities?  Brad Wilson seemed to believe that any special educator is qualified to  teach ASD students and if this was so, then why do RIC and PC (just a few that I know of) provide certification programs beyond a regular certification for Special Education for teaching kids on the spectrum?  It is because the general certification isn't specialized enough.

As a group, we are reasonable and knowledgeable people (doctors, lawyers, and myself-a special education expert for the state).  We are not saying staff shouldn't be moved, we are saying the selection of/planning for has been short-sighted and will hurt children.  

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Take, for example, the plan to have all self-contained (most needy children) in only Frenchtown Elementary-since those same children WILL qualify for special needs preschool upon transition from EI and the special needs preschool is only at Meadowbrook, now we will have kids that will go from Meadowbrook to Frenchtown and then (if Full Day K happens) possibly back to Meadowbrook.  These are kids with Downs Syndrome, Autism, significant needs-all disabilities that consistency and continuity are key and gains will be lost.  Transitions set ALL kids back, but these kids are our most vulnerable.  I promise you most parents have documented recommendations from experts (neurologists, developmental pediatricians, psychiatrists, etc) that say that moving these students will do them harm.  To avoid this, we will be forced to go to out of district placements and other costly measures.

The bigger issue here is the lack of transparency and communication.  Again, I have been to the SELAC (SpEd Parent Advisory Com) meetings all year (they have been going on since the fall, not just this spring) as well as being on a dozen list serves-there has been no mention of any of this.  I asked who made these decisions and why wasn't the special education advisory informed.  Three individuals in district leadership created this plan. When I asked if it ever went to school committee, I was told it didn't need to because no extra money or positions was needed. Where are the checks and balances? We spend a year of focus groups, in depth discussions, research, budget on 1-1 device initiatives but special needs students’ supports and programming is up to one individual to unilaterally do whatever he likes with? We have legal and ethical obligation to be better than that.

A major issue is that suddenly EG, a district that prides itself on excellence, is throwing around terms like "free and appropriate" and "reasonably accommodate" and I think we, as  a community, need to do some soul searching.  Is it okay to provide/demand for excellence, above and beyond greatness, for typical children and then provide the bare minimum required by law for others?  I guess I would use the term "discrimination" and would wonder what an audit of highly qualified personnel comparing gen ed to special ed  would yield because that is what we are saying here- our children need qualified teachers too.  

Those who believe special education has "Cadillac Services" sadly need to be educated on special education research, current data from the schools evaluating effectiveness/ineffectiveness of programming (you have all of this with STAR), and how cutting costs early on only costs you (and kids and families) more in the end.  Your high school is in warning for an achievement gap that is the product of a K-12 system, not one school.  I would’ve hoped EG would hire a Special Education Director who could educate and balance needs, but it is apparent that didn’t happen.  For these kids, the difference can be one of an independent life contributing to society or a life of government reliance and disability.  What I am fighting for here is simply "appropriate" for these kids-it is no "Cadillac." “Equal” doesn't mean “the same.”

What we need is long term, visionary leadership.  We need out of the box thinking-not solving problems using bureaucratic "smoke and mirrors."  Autism is the fastest growing developmental disability in the country.  This group will only grow and it isn't just East Greenwich, it is the entire state, the entire country.  If your family isn't affected, sadly-within a generation or two...it will be.  Then you will understand that we have an ethical obligation and that while different, these children/people contribute a lot to our world and our community.  We need to come together and plan proactively to (as efficiently as possible) provide these children with a quality education...this is not how to do it.  

Sincerely,

Nicole Bucka

RTI/MTSS Technical Assistance, Education Consultant

Northern RI Collaborative


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