Special Education is a dysfunctional industry – unfortunately. I think the number is that about 10% of children experience some serious special needs for which specialized teaching and accommodation are indicated.

Kalman R. Hettleman has written a report for Baltimore called: The Road to Nowhere: The Illusion and Broken Promises of Special Education in the Baltimore City and Other School Systems. Report 2004

It’s a 47 pager but worth reading. I haven’t time right now to do a digest, but maybe someone else might. Here are some blurbs:

 Quote:

“Affluent, well-educated parents tend to have high expectations for their children and devote much time and energy to dealing with learning disabilities that get in the way of academic and personal success.” Washington Post, Oct 29/09, A New if Pushy Idea to Improve Special Education


Of course, financially and politically adept people can either buy private special education or assertively navigate the system to obtain results. But others, the majority, are left in the lurch. More blurbs:

 Quote:
“Students with disabilities across the nation, including Baltimore City, are failing to achieve their academic potential. Inadequate instruction and other inappropriate or unlawful practices cause and conceal the dysfunction of special education.”


 Quote:
“…educators have been slow to embrace the research that discredits low expectations for low-income, low-IQ children. Such low expectations offer elected officials a convenient excuse for fiscally shortchanging poor children who are politically disabled as well as learning disabled.”



Edited by Tunya Audain (10/29/09 06:26 PM)