1 / 13

Enhancing Special Education: Connections IV Program

The Connections IV Program aims to provide tailored support for students with Autism Spectrum Disorder and Non-Verbal Learning Disabilities, completing a 5-year commitment to enhance K-12 education. This program focuses on equipping students with the skills needed for post-secondary education, employment, and independent living. It intends to address unmet needs within our diverse community while promoting fiscal responsibility by reducing educational costs. The initiative emphasizes collaboration among educational leaders and advocates for transparency in budgeting to safeguard special education services.

dustin
Télécharger la présentation

Enhancing Special Education: Connections IV Program

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. High School Connections IV Program Presented by

  2. Our Mission • “To prepare all students to attain their full potential as life-long learners, critical thinkers, and productive citizens of our diverse community and global society.” • Five years ago the District committed to completing the Connections program K-12.

  3. Connections IV is the Final Piece • Connections IV completes this service delivery model for students with a primary diagnosis of Autism Spectrum or Non Verbal Learning Disability. • In which services are delivered effectively through specialized programming and support. • Connections IV prepares students for successful post secondary education, employment and independent living.

  4. Why Connections IV? • Public commitment 5 years ago. • Superintendent, SC, ABRHS principal & Dir. of Pupil Services • Connection IV continues to be an “unmet need.” • Director Huber and Principal Callen • Proven, successful education model for students with complex learning needs. • Preschool – 8th Grade • Reduces overall education spending. • SMART Goal #2 – Reduce costs through program development • FinCom – Looking to reduce recurring expenses

  5. We Value our District’s Strengths • Our thanks to a strong Central Office Administration • Dr. Mills has demonstrated great educational leadership over the last three years. • He’s brought an inclusionary leadership style as well as greater transparency and discipline to the budget process. • He and the Central Office have successfully maintained high quality education through difficult financial times.

  6. We Value our District Staff • We thank Liza Huber for her vision, transparency, commitment to student needs, and leadership. • Maintaining student services during difficult budget cycles • Establishing a pilot summer program with Community Ed. • We thank Alixe Callen and Liza Huber for working collaboratively and creatively to reallocate resources. • Completing the Hayward Center & Learning Center 5 • Beginning the Connections IV program in FY ‘13 with a Transition assistant and .2 Counselor. • We also thank Principal Callen and Director Huber for setting up a committee to pursue the completion of Connections IV.

  7. We Value our School Committee • We want to thank Paul Murphy and Mike Coppolino for being School Committee reps to the SpEd PAC this year. • Their guidance and advocacy has been enormously appreciated.

  8. Where We Are Now • We know it’s late in the budget process and that options are limited at this time. • We know that the Finance Committee is pushing back hard on school budgets. • We realize it’s too late to add FTEs to the FY ‘13 budget. • We recognize that funds are limited and that there has to be a balance between funding of educational needs and town services.

  9. This Year • We prepared a cost analysis of Connections IV for the School Committee. • Analysis shows recurring net savings to the District. • The School Committee requested additional information about financial benefits to the District. • Analysis shows projected net savings of approximately $900,000 over the next four years. • We hope to receive feedback soon.

  10. This Year • We’ve sat through the budget process as it unfolded month to month. • We’ve watched level service budgets be defined in a way that reduced services for special education students with no School Committee discussion or analysis of the consequences. • We’ve watched the School Committee accommodate the ever changing and increasingly costly Lower Fields project. • We’ve watched as Don Aicardi noted a $540,000 over budgeted reimbursement in Circuit Breaker without public discussion.

  11. This Year • We’ve heard about artificial turf, hot dogs and T shirts but we didn’t hear how these things compare to the unfunded educational needs prioritized by building leaders. • We’ve sent letters requesting public dialogue on important special education issues, but no public discussion has occurred. • We didn’t hear a discussion of the Connections IV Program. And now it’s too late.

  12. Our Hopes • In the past you’ve found creative solutions to provide necessary services. • At the end of FY ’12 we hope you’re able to find a way to reinstate the special education assistant cuts or expand Connections IV. • We hope that more can be done for this vulnerable population of students in need.

  13. Looking Forward • For five years we’ve worked very hard to change the tone of the PAC and District’s relationship to one based on respect, mutual trust and transparency. • We’ve had successes together, but this year we feel the process hasn’t adequately supported Special Education students’ needs. • We are committed to making next year better. • We look forward to talking with you in September.

More Related