Why is special education in US so bad?

Question

Schools do not follow IDEA, are not honest with parents, do not follow IEP's, etc..

Answer 1

Lack of funding.

Special education teachers generally carry overloads (for example, I was at 154% by February last year), and may run multiple programs across several academic subjects. They are only human, and are stretched way too thin. Not enough funding for full staffing....

Regular ed teachers are NOT trained in special education issues. The idea there is that they should be team members with the special ed teachers, and use the sped teacher as a full resource to help them adapt their own teaching to their students' needs. In reality, regular ed teachers have minimal accountability for special ed kids' performance... those kids "belong" to the sped teacher in the regular ed teachers' minds. Therefore, IEP modifications end up not being implemented in the regular ed classroom unless parents are very vocal. No funding is placed into regular ed teacher professional development in the area of special needs.

Special education training programs, just as with any other profession, have variable quality from college to college. There are very good training programs out there, that turn out a steady amount of quality special education teachers. And then, there are the really BAD programs, that don't. It is very interesting that state professional testing doesn't catch this... which shows that those tests are not valid indicators of professional quality. I work with some people trained from a local college (I got my degree elsewhere), who have NO clue when it comes to how to help their students.

SPED costs money. The federal government does not fully fund its mandates. State education money originally tagged for special education goes into district general funds, rather than staying tagged for special education.... which means the less each school pays out for individual student needs, the more can be put into other programs. Notice how the football team always has new uniforms?

Parents are the driving force, whether the football team OR special education, in determining how funding will be spent. For a special education parent to be fully effective in this, however, they really must become a lay lawyer, fully educated in special ed law.

Answer 2

Money is the main reason... or should I say lack of money. Schools aren't well funded and that creates a tug of war between special education and general education. Usually special ed loses out. It doesn't help that Congress has NEVER seen fit to fully fund IDEA.

There are many good special ed teachers out there, but they are often caught in the middle. They may want to do what's right for the student, but higher powers often silence them and put restraints on what they can say and do.

Until students with disabilities are valued in this country, special education will be bad. And unfortunately I don't see this changing any time soon.

Answer 3

Any occupation that you undertake is going to be be demanding and stressful, depending on how vested you are in the job. I choose to go into special education many years ago and have not regretted one moment since. I actually became interested in the special education field when I was a teenager doing volunteer work for the Easter Seals Society. The personal rewards of the work has far outweighed any demands and stress involved. There is always a demand for great people in this field, and anyone who is willing to put their education and heart into the field will be greatly appreciated. You have to make the choices that are the best for you, and though your friends may think that they are being helpful to you, they need to realize that you need to follow your heart for your best life. I know that education in general, is not the easiest of professions, and special education is even tougher; but you sound as if you are willing to work hard in order to help improve others lives. The years that I have spent working with special needs individuals has been very rewarding, and made me especially grateful for all the blessings I have been given in my life. There is nothing like the feeling of seeing a person that I have worked with learn the simplest things, and take steps forward bit by bit; it is beyond any paycheck or any other accolade in the world. Just knowing that there are people in the world that I helped become more independent and self-sufficient is an incredible feeling. I wish you well in your graduate program work, you really sound as if you have your feet firmly planted on the ground, and know what you want. This is important when you decide to be involved in the special education field, you have to have heart and the willingness to help. Best of luck and have a good night.

Answer 4

First off Special Education classes aren't the greatest here in Canada. Reason is that they are underfunded just like in the states. They like art programs are cut back. The reason is never given why these programs are reduced in funding but one things for sure the special education kids don't always get the help they need to insure they are probably educated.

Answer 5

I'm not sure it is so bad. Many students make amazing progress that they would not make without specail education learning opportunities. Also, families sometimes count on public schools to take care of all educational needs and do not reinforce what is being done at school.

Answer 6

In the golden old days Spec.Educ. teachers didn't treat the students
as incapable of learning. They found ways to communicate and make it more interesting for their students so that the students couldn't wait to come to school.
Today's teachers are so harassed and under so much stress as to what is allowed and what they can and can not do, that they have trouble communicating to their students.They are not allowed to touch you for fear of reprisal and it stymies them.
Also, it does take 2 to tango. The students have to be receptive and give their teacher a chance. If need be you, the collective student body, may need to ask the teacher to sit down (with all of you) and discuss the problems and frustrations you are having.
I'm done!

Answer 7

Im a deaf person almost fail high school
the system do not have high expecation for deaf or hanicap

It took me a long time to catch up alot of classes at college and take couple classes again.