I listen to WNYC during both my morning and evening commute, so I heard this story twice today. This is an important topic, and I was disappointed to hear such a narrow view of the issue. The story contains at least one blatant untruth, and is written without a historical, educational, or national context.

The untruth is that receiving schools (neighborhood schools) won't implement programs required by a child's IEP. Federal law mandates the implementation of an IEP, and schools are obligated to carry them out. It is true that many schools have not, historically, provided these services. And it may be true that in NYC negotiating the IEP is difficult for all the reasons you talk about. But it was wrong and misleading, and unnecessarily scares parents, to say they can't implement the IEP.

As for context......Inclusion has been the widely recognized best practice in the field of education for decades. Across the country, schools of all sizes and locations include children with all disabilities in their neighborhood schools. NYC has been behind the rest of the country for more than 20 years. When I travel to other states and explain the model for serving kids with severe disabilities here, people are shocked.

Of course the next few years will be hard - parents, students, and teachers will have a steep learning curve as you state. However, all partie can rest easy that there is a broad and deep expertise across the country - models to follow, trainers to bring in, other parents who can coach ours - to help NYC come into the modern world of integrated education.

I am an education professional, in the field of developmental disabilities and inclusion for more than 30 years. Susan G. Izeman, PhD, BCBA

If it is difficult for most parents to weather the storms of IEPs and advocating for their children, imagine what happens for parents who do not speak English. Many parents don't have the ability to advocate, let alone a full understanding and awareness of the special education process.

IEPs are just tedious paperwork that justifies administrative BS so that folks can cover their tails.

The training the principal’s and teacher’s receive to support students with disabilities will provide sharing, collaboration, and dialogue regarding the Individualized Education Programs (IEP). Teachers, students, and parents will be involved in the IEP for special education reform. I think this will be a great advantage to see team work at its best for schools opening the doors to students with disabilities.
gs

I live in Upstate NY and was told that "they can handle my Aspberger's son just fine" yet he has failed two years in a row, and they just keep pushing him through. Now he is suppose to go to High School, yet he has NO foundation for High School and no excuse except that the school system has failed him and they do not want to deal with him. I want him to go to another school, but they have told me flat out NO. There is no excuse for them ignoring his IEP, for ignoring his educational needs or for ignoring their professional actions as providers and teachers for future generations.

Inclusion is a wonderful goal, and can work in the early grades if handled with intelligence and focus (the Ideal School is a terrific example), but most programs, particularly at the higher grades, are a dismal failure, and subject these lovely children to horrific bullying at worst, and benign neglect at best. These children need inclusion in their communities, not in schools, where they are treated shamefully by adults and children alike.

I was extremely unsatisfied with my sons school PS48 it took me a year of fighting and complaining just to get him transferred to a school of my choice, all the hard work that I did with him before he went to that school went straight down the toilet, and Principle Brenda Gallashaw is anti parent she never returns your calls unless you complain to her to a higher authority they are suppose to follow the IEP but it is clear to me that they do not PARENTS MUST BE INVOLVED at all times.

Yesterday, Barbara Fisher wrote this response:

"An overhaul of special education is yet again announced for NYC. However, until a transformational educational leader with vision, a workable plan of action and political clout is appointed there can be no substantive change in delivery of services, learning outcomes and the ability of children with special needs to each reach individual potential. As both parent advocate and arts educator I have seen that class size matters. The IEP can work when additional services follow the individual child, not necessarily the most savvy school or district. The mantra might be 'life long learning' not k-12 for the general population and special needs persons. And rather than more 'training' teachers need access to consultative services and resources that allow them to be creative." -- Barbara Fisher

For more than 30 years, Barbara and I have worked together in the field.

Dear NYC Parents ,
we're watching you from upstate with the same problems from the suburbs lakeside. Towns here telling parents that their kids with autism will have to travel an hour to segregated programs or home school. But let's use the IEP and the call for curriculum access as the new rebel yell. We know how to teach all kids, I've done it as a retired spec ed teacher at every level including post-secondary. Teachers must be bold in the face of new evaluations and poor job prospects. They must say what they need to succeed with all kids. This is their part in speaking truth to power. If we can get by the the poor moral and professional actions of the gate-keepers, good teachers want coaching and support so THEIR students can succeed. Can anyone tell me about funding sources for professional development for autism. I want to "help" my district with every oppositional excuse they come up with!