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Public schools cut back on facilitators
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By Bob Watson
News Tribune
Jefferson City's Public Schools have reduced the number of facilitators who work with special needs children, providing them with extra assistance in classes and school work.
But administrators said this week the district did not cut “a majority of the facilitator positions,” as a “concerned parent” reported in an anonymous letter to reporters.
Seven full-time facilitators have been asked to take part-time positions this year, spokesman David Luther said Monday - a reduction from 105 full-time positions originally planned.
The moves could save the district about $200,000 in a year, Luther said, because one full-time facilitator costs the district about $30,000 a year, in salary and benefits.
Both Luther and Superintendent Bert Kimble said the staff reduction doesn't - and won't - affect students whose Individual Education Plans (IEPs) require them to have a full-time facilitator.
“What Dr. Kimble is trying to do here,” Luther explained, “is if you have two or three students in a classroom who need additional help, he would prefer to have one facilitator helping those two or three students.
“If the IEP calls for a student to have a full-time facilitator, then by law that's what we're going to do - we're going to do what's best for the student, regardless.”
Kimble told a reporter Monday: “When I got here (in 1997), we had around 35 aides and facilitators.
“And, because of the nature of ... the (federal) special education law ... we've seen that number grow through the Individual Education Plan process, up to, at one point, 115.”
Kimble said he's asked principals at four buildings to look at using one facilitator for several students in their buildings, after principals suggested the idea last spring.
The changes were not mentioned during last week's school board meeting, he said, because the final student scheduling information wasn't available until later in the week.
And Luther said the beginning-of-the-year fluctuation of students' needs means the final number of facilitators still is uncertain.
Kimble said: “I think we owe it to the economy of scale and the prudent tax dollars being spent on the part of the district - and yet, still serve the kids - to take a look at those situations.”
Luther noted the change is not substantially different from the district's existing “Classroom Within A Classroom” program.
“There have been cases over the years where we have had facilitators serving more than one student - again, it depends on the IEP,” Luther said.
Funding for their work comes from a combination of local, state and federal sources.
“The federal funds that we receive,” Luther said, “come to us as a lump sum for special education services - and then it's up to the district to determine how those monies will be (spent).
“Almost all of it is going to go towards staff, anyway, because it's going to go to special education teachers or it's going to go towards aides and facilitators - just as the majority of our budget goes towards personnel.”
Numerous school officials over the years have noted the federal government makes requirements it does not pay for.
In special education, Luther noted, Congress promised to pay districts 40 percent of their special education expenses, but its actual reimbursement is less than half that.
But administrators said this week the district did not cut “a majority of the facilitator positions,” as a “concerned parent” reported in an anonymous letter to reporters.
Seven full-time facilitators have been asked to take part-time positions this year, spokesman David Luther said Monday - a reduction from 105 full-time positions originally planned.
The moves could save the district about $200,000 in a year, Luther said, because one full-time facilitator costs the district about $30,000 a year, in salary and benefits.
Both Luther and Superintendent Bert Kimble said the staff reduction doesn't - and won't - affect students whose Individual Education Plans (IEPs) require them to have a full-time facilitator.
“What Dr. Kimble is trying to do here,” Luther explained, “is if you have two or three students in a classroom who need additional help, he would prefer to have one facilitator helping those two or three students.
“If the IEP calls for a student to have a full-time facilitator, then by law that's what we're going to do - we're going to do what's best for the student, regardless.”
Kimble told a reporter Monday: “When I got here (in 1997), we had around 35 aides and facilitators.
“And, because of the nature of ... the (federal) special education law ... we've seen that number grow through the Individual Education Plan process, up to, at one point, 115.”
Kimble said he's asked principals at four buildings to look at using one facilitator for several students in their buildings, after principals suggested the idea last spring.
The changes were not mentioned during last week's school board meeting, he said, because the final student scheduling information wasn't available until later in the week.
And Luther said the beginning-of-the-year fluctuation of students' needs means the final number of facilitators still is uncertain.
Kimble said: “I think we owe it to the economy of scale and the prudent tax dollars being spent on the part of the district - and yet, still serve the kids - to take a look at those situations.”
Luther noted the change is not substantially different from the district's existing “Classroom Within A Classroom” program.
“There have been cases over the years where we have had facilitators serving more than one student - again, it depends on the IEP,” Luther said.
Funding for their work comes from a combination of local, state and federal sources.
“The federal funds that we receive,” Luther said, “come to us as a lump sum for special education services - and then it's up to the district to determine how those monies will be (spent).
“Almost all of it is going to go towards staff, anyway, because it's going to go to special education teachers or it's going to go towards aides and facilitators - just as the majority of our budget goes towards personnel.”
Numerous school officials over the years have noted the federal government makes requirements it does not pay for.
In special education, Luther noted, Congress promised to pay districts 40 percent of their special education expenses, but its actual reimbursement is less than half that.
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nospinzone wrote on Aug 28, 2008 10:01 AM: