General Discussion

proud2BlibKansan

(96,793 posts) Wed Jun 20, 2012, 10:49 AM Jun 2012

Fewer disabled students enroll in charter schools

As the number of charter schools expands nationwide, one group of students that is enrolling in those schools at a lower rate is children with disabilities.

Eight percent of students at charter schools had disabilities in the 2009-2010 schoolyear, compared with 11 percent at traditional public schools, according to a Government Accountability Office report being released Wednesday.

The difference could be a result of several factors, including fewer parents of special education students choosing to enroll their children, charter schools discouraging disabled students from attending, and constraints on resources making it difficult for charter schools to meet their needs, the report found.

"We know that in many instances the charter schools are breaking down all the old stereotypes about who can learn and who can't learn, whether they're poor or minority or students with disabilities," said Rep. George Miller, senior Democrat on the House Education and Workforce Committee. "And we want to make sure that the students with disabilities get a chance to participate in that revolution, if you will, that's taking place."

more . . . http://news.yahoo.com/fewer-disabled-students-enroll-charter-schools-030120933.html

19 replies

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Fewer disabled students enroll in charter schools (Original Post) proud2BlibKansan Jun 2012 OP

Many of them are not equipped to deal with disabled students. Many of the teachers have no teaching MADem Jun 2012 #1

Exactly. proud2BlibKansan Jun 2012 #3

Federal law and regulation prohibit any public school, including charter schools, from denial. NYC_SKP Jun 2012 #2

263 complaints tells me they aren't all in compliance. proud2BlibKansan Jun 2012 #4

How many complaints exist for traditional public schools? NYC_SKP Jun 2012 #6

I can only speak first hand of charters in my city proud2BlibKansan Jun 2012 #7

Some of ours specialize in serving them, sanctuaries FROM the traditional schools. NYC_SKP Jun 2012 #8

We don't have any doing that here. proud2BlibKansan Jun 2012 #9

86% of charters in Florida don't serve any kids with severe disabilities proud2BlibKansan Jun 2012 #10

Florida's a hot mess. NYC_SKP Jun 2012 #13

Tell me about Florida proud2BlibKansan Jun 2012 #14

people are Bellerophon Jun 2012 #17

and yet, they do. HiPointDem Jun 2012 #18

This was my observation several years ago. The Midway Rebel Jun 2012 #5

and they're in this thread too. HiPointDem Jun 2012 #19

Greed before need. mmonk Jun 2012 #11

My guess is that transportation (or the lack of it) may factor in SoCalDem Jun 2012 #12

The charters I'm familiar with provide transportation. proud2BlibKansan Jun 2012 #15

Around here, some public schools are charging for the bus or even dropping it altogether SoCalDem Jun 2012 #16

MADem

(135,425 posts)

1. Many of them are not equipped to deal with disabled students. Many of the teachers have no teaching

Reply to proud2BlibKansan (Original post)

Wed Jun 20, 2012, 10:57 AM

Jun 2012

credentials, never mind training in dealing with special needs.

proud2BlibKansan

(96,793 posts)

3. Exactly.

Reply to MADem (Reply #1)

Wed Jun 20, 2012, 11:01 AM

Jun 2012

Yet they get tax dollars to operate.

NYC_SKP

(68,644 posts)

2. Federal law and regulation prohibit any public school, including charter schools, from denial.

Reply to proud2BlibKansan (Original post)

Wed Jun 20, 2012, 11:01 AM

Jun 2012

Enrollment Of Students With Disabilities In Charter Schools

Federal law and regulation prohibit any public school, including charter schools, from denying admission to any student on the basis of a disability, or the nature of or extent of a disability. More specifically, a student with disabilities must be afforded the opportunity to participate in a charter school (Code of Federal Regulations [CFR] Section 104.4(b)(1)(i); Section 504, Vocational Rehabilitation Act; Title II, Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990; California Government Code Section 11135; California Education Code (EC) Section 220). Further, EC Section 47605(d)(1) states a charter school “shall not discriminate against any pupil on the basis of…disability.” “A charter school shall admit all pupils who wish to attend [charter] school” (EC Section 47605(d)(2)(A)) except as provided by those provisions related to a public random drawing. Despite the existence or lack of a program for a student with disabilities at a charter school, enrollment may not be denied (CFR Section 104.4(b)(3); EC Section 47646(a)).

As California public schools, charter schools are subject to Part B of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, as amended in 2004 (IDEA). Students with disabilities attending charter schools and their families retain all rights under IDEA (34 CFR Section 300.209(a)). Students with disabilities enrolled in charter schools must receive services in the same manner and to the same extent as other schools (34 CFR Section 300.209(b)(1)(i)). To assure adequate resources, monies apportioned for the purposes of special education must be expended exclusively for special education programs (EC Section 56836.04(b)).

If violations of special education law and regulations are alleged, there can be a request for direct state intervention to investigate the specific allegation(s). This may be accomplished by telephoning the Procedural Safeguards Referral Service Unit at 800-926-0648, or by contacting the unit through the mail at:

Procedural Safeguards Referral Service
Special Education Division
California Department of Education
1430 N Street, Suite 2401
Sacramento, CA 95814-5901

http://www.cde.ca.gov/sp/se/lr/spedinchrtrsch.asp

proud2BlibKansan

(96,793 posts)

4. 263 complaints tells me they aren't all in compliance.

Reply to NYC_SKP (Reply #2)

Wed Jun 20, 2012, 11:03 AM

Jun 2012

NYC_SKP

(68,644 posts)

6. How many complaints exist for traditional public schools?

Reply to proud2BlibKansan (Reply #4)

Wed Jun 20, 2012, 11:15 AM

Jun 2012

Do you have that number?

The truth is that parents need to be empowered with knowledge and self-advocate.

And you and I both know that they don't.

Public charter or public traditional, schools are bureaucracies and are, to many, incomprehensible.

These parents, in any event, need to do right by their kids.

Blaming charter schools is energy spent in the wrong direction.

And eliminating charter schools, as some would like to do, apparently, will do NOTHING to improve failing public schools.

Why not hold all models accountable?

proud2BlibKansan

(96,793 posts)

7. I can only speak first hand of charters in my city

Reply to NYC_SKP (Reply #6)

Wed Jun 20, 2012, 12:08 PM

Jun 2012

And they ROUTINELY refuse to admit kids with disabilities. The few kids they DO admit are often kicked out.

So this is a real problem here. Since traditional public schools don't refuse to admit kids with disabilities, I'm not complaining about them. (And seriously, if they were, I'd be the first one to speak out.)

NYC_SKP

(68,644 posts)

8. Some of ours specialize in serving them, sanctuaries FROM the traditional schools.

Reply to proud2BlibKansan (Reply #7)

Wed Jun 20, 2012, 12:55 PM

Jun 2012

And the parents, and the kids, are eternally grateful.

proud2BlibKansan

(96,793 posts)

9. We don't have any doing that here.

Reply to NYC_SKP (Reply #8)

Wed Jun 20, 2012, 01:28 PM

Jun 2012

proud2BlibKansan

(96,793 posts)

10. 86% of charters in Florida don't serve any kids with severe disabilities

Reply to NYC_SKP (Reply #8)

Wed Jun 20, 2012, 01:33 PM

Jun 2012

http://bobsidlethoughtsandmusings.wordpress.com/2012/06/20/bad-news-for-florida-charter-schools-gao-probes-charters-on-serving-students-with-disabilties/

NYC_SKP

(68,644 posts)

13. Florida's a hot mess.

Reply to proud2BlibKansan (Reply #10)

Wed Jun 20, 2012, 03:32 PM

Jun 2012

California is a bit more progressive. Of course it all varies even within one state, including ours.

If budgets weren't so abysmally tight and if not for old Prop 13, traditional schools might be doing a better job.

proud2BlibKansan

(96,793 posts)

14. Tell me about Florida

Reply to NYC_SKP (Reply #13)

Wed Jun 20, 2012, 03:41 PM

Jun 2012

Here in Brownbackistan, our governor has brought in several freaks from Florida to run several departments. The guy who was running Social Services cut funding for domestic violence shelters because he said battered women need to go back home and repair their marriages.

Seriously, though, just how dumb do you have to be to choose to move to Kansas from Florida??

Bellerophon

(50 posts)

17. people are

Reply to NYC_SKP (Reply #6)

Thu Jun 21, 2012, 01:22 AM

Jun 2012

Constantly taking the local public school district to court because they are violating the rights of the disabled....

They even try to prevent the parents from participating in the planning of each child's program which the law says they are allowed to do.

Some children missed upwards of 5 months of school because the district failednto act and stonewalled the parents.

Public schools aren't always better ran or or fair...

HiPointDem

(20,729 posts)

18. and yet, they do.

Reply to NYC_SKP (Reply #2)

Thu Jun 21, 2012, 01:23 AM

Jun 2012

The Midway Rebel

(2,191 posts)

5. This was my observation several years ago.

Reply to proud2BlibKansan (Original post)

Wed Jun 20, 2012, 11:09 AM

Jun 2012

A few folks on DU were quick to tell me I was full of shit.

HiPointDem

(20,729 posts)

19. and they're in this thread too.

Reply to The Midway Rebel (Reply #5)

Thu Jun 21, 2012, 01:25 AM

Jun 2012

mmonk

(52,589 posts)

11. Greed before need.

Reply to proud2BlibKansan (Original post)

Wed Jun 20, 2012, 01:33 PM

Jun 2012

The false god and lord of America despite a church on every corner.

SoCalDem

(103,856 posts)

12. My guess is that transportation (or the lack of it) may factor in

Reply to proud2BlibKansan (Original post)

Wed Jun 20, 2012, 02:41 PM

Jun 2012

as well as the fact that charter schools probably do not HAVE to accommodate special needs students as much (if at all) as truly public schools are required to.

The whole charter/magnet/whatever programs are a clever end-run around the voucher idea that never quote caught on. It's a way to occupy/use facilities that have been paid for by ALL taxpayers, and when "changed" are only available to a "select" few (lotteries are selection processes) ..and the "new" bosses are profit-driven, so of course they are more eager to jettison students who bring their "value" down.

proud2BlibKansan

(96,793 posts)

15. The charters I'm familiar with provide transportation.

Reply to SoCalDem (Reply #12)

Wed Jun 20, 2012, 03:42 PM

Jun 2012

But I agree with the rest of your post.

SoCalDem

(103,856 posts)

16. Around here, some public schools are charging for the bus or even dropping it altogether

Reply to proud2BlibKansan (Reply #15)

Wed Jun 20, 2012, 04:54 PM

Jun 2012

and so many parents leave for work hours before school even starts, it's almost impossible to get kids to school .. I am SOOOOOOO glad mine are all grown up..

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