Council calls for investigation of special education

By John Howell
Posted 5/5/16

The stories were genuine and compelling. The anger was visceral. And the outcome to an issue some council members say has generated the loudest outcry they can recall is a resolution calling for an …

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Council calls for investigation of special education

Posted

The stories were genuine and compelling. The anger was visceral. And the outcome to an issue some council members say has generated the loudest outcry they can recall is a resolution calling for an investigation of the school department’s special education services.

Saying he has received emails and calls from parents, teachers and students, Ward 5 Councilman Ed Ladouceur told the council Monday night: “I have heard from more people on this issue than any other issue.”

Ladouceur’s resolution – which virtually every council member asked to co-sponsor after nearly two hours of testimony – calls on the Educational Community Outreach Committee (ECOC) to “investigate” the school department’s department of special education. The committee, which Ladouceur was instrumental in creating to help improve communication between the city and the schools, is co-chaired by Toll Gate senior Nathan Cornell and School Committee member Karen Bachus. Members include representatives of the Warwick Teachers Union, school administration, the public, and the City Council, who are non-voting members.

Among allegations made Monday are that the school administration is belittling parental concerns over resources devoted to their children; teachers are being told to re-evaluate students so as to reduce special services, and hence costs; that STAR tests are used to justify the removal of a student’s IEP (individual education program); and that a student’s disability is reclassified so as to put them in a different program.

Ladouceur said a constituent told him of her experience with the School Department about three weeks ago, and once he started asking questions, more people came forward.

In interviews Tuesday, Superintendent Philip Thornton and Jennifer Connolly, director of special services, pointed out that relative to the 1,641 students with IEPs, the number of complaints at the council meeting is proportionally small.

Teams made up of parents, teacher, a special services administrator, and sometimes even the student oversee the IEP and make decisions regarding what services the student needs to meet educational objectives. If a team member disagrees with the course of action being taken by the district, they can appeal to the state Department of Education (RIDE). That process contains several steps including hearings, mediation, and due process.

Thornton believes the department sought to resolve issues internally so as to avoid involving RIDE.

“If it can be resolved locally, that’s much better than bringing it here,” Elliot Krieger, spokesman for RIDE said Wednesday.

Connolly said RIDE is reviewing one complaint, that the Office of Civil Rights is reviewing a complaint, and there are no cases pending due process.

While from his perspective there are not a large number of complaints, Thornton said: “We take all complaints seriously.” He said he wants to follow up on the stories told the council and determine whether these are ongoing or past situations. Rather than depend on a volunteer committee, which he doubts could gain access to education records, he proposed that a “special education expert” investigate any claims.

Thornton also released a 2013 RIDE report that cited seven cases in which the department failed to provide the least restrictive environment for special needs students, thereby impairing their education. The report also finds that the district has a disproportionate identification of students with disabilities. About 18 percent of all Warwick students have an IEP, as compared to a statewide average of 15 percent, according to RIDE.

Additionally, although the Warwick Teachers Union has not contractually agreed and contract arbitration is ongoing, Thornton has removed the “weighting system” to set class size as well as the “co-op teaching” for classes with students with an IEP. With weighting, a student with an IEP is counted as more than one in determining class size.

Thornton is critical of weighting and co-op teaching for being driven by the numbers, not a student’s needs. The result, says Connolly, is “that these kids are not making progress.”

Listening to the stories Monday night, however, it appeared the system has failed the students.

Jeanne Muto-Kyle told of how she fought futilely to have Warwick schools address her son’s needs. Finally, she took her son out of school to home school him to the detriment of her business. Now her son is at The Met School, where he is excelling.

She said that the principal of her son’s former school called her on his deathbed to apologize for walking out of a meeting and not assisting the family.

Ward 9 Councilman Steve Merolla said he was angered by the testimony and “how fellow citizens are being treated by that department.” He said his sister sued Warwick schools because her son didn’t get the services he needed.

“You’re damn right, I’m voting for this,” he said, too choked up to continue talking.

Pilgrim guidance counselor Donna Tobin said students who are absent from school because of illness are being denied tutoring; that in-classroom support has been reduced by half; and that without summer school, she fears many special needs students will fail to get a diploma that is so critical for them to getting a job.

Opinion was mixed on whether the inquiry should be termed an “investigation,” and if the council-appointed committee is the proper entity to do it. School Committee member Gene Nadeau also questioned the volume of complaints, saying he had received two.

The parent of a student with an IEP, David Testa favored looking into allegations but reasoned, “this is not the proper forum.” He called for a school investigation.

“The way it is set up you don’t have the power over schools,” he said. He advocated for parents to fight for their children.

Toll Gate teacher and member of the Warwick Teachers Union executive committee Darlene Netcho said the School Committee “should be handling this but they’re not.” She said: “Parents are afraid to address the School Committee because they will get blackballed.”

Roy Dempsey, who regularly attends council meetings, thought the word “investigation” was too powerful, adding: “I’m not sure it’s going to move the ball.”

“Where’s it going to go, nowhere … I think this just enflames the situation,” he said.

A member of the ECOC, Anthony Sinapi, who drafted the resolution, said the council has the authority to call for an investigation and not to do so would be to the detriment of the students.

Ward 3 Councilwoman Camille Vella-Wilkinson said: “We have a moral obligation to support this resolution.” And she asked if the School Committee thinks they’re doing everything right, “why would you fight it?”

“Yes, we do have a say. These are our children,” said Ward 7 Councilwoman Kathleen Usler. She accused the School Committee of being “out of control. They aren’t listening.”

“It is clear something is broken,” said Ward 4 Councilman Joseph Solomon. “Let’s find out what it is and repair it for our children.”

Ladouceur was strident in comments.

“This is about speaking for the people who can’t speak for themselves. This is nothing new; this has been going on for years … this system is not working. It’s very clear.”

The ECOC meets tonight. Co-chair Cornell said they would discuss how to proceed with the investigation.

In a follow-up call yesterday, Ladouceur said he welcomes Thornton’s suggestion of an expert investigator but that the ECOC should have a role in that selection, schools should pay related costs, and that the ECOC should be involved in the process.

“I want them to be a part of the investigation,” he said of the committee.

Comments

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  • JohnStark

    Based upon the most recent RIDE enrollment data, the rate of special ed identification in Warwick is about 20%, a bit higher than the 18% reported above. The question is: Why is 1 in out of every 5 Warwick public school students identified as Educationally Handicapped? At $18.000 per pupil, it certainly is not attributable to a lack of funding. So what, in the name of God, is going on in this city? 1 in 5! Little wonder that parents are not walking, or running, but rather sprinting away from this mess.

    Friday, May 6, 2016 Report this

  • Justanidiot

    Why is it 1 in 5?

    Because, if you want any kind of attention from the schools, you have to scream at them until you are blue in the face, they slap and IEP on your child, and then, maybe, MAYBE your child will get a bit of the education you are paying for.

    Or not.

    It is lip service in most cases.

    Monday, May 9, 2016 Report this

  • richardcorrente

    Warwick definitely needs IEP's. In the last 10 years Warwick has lost 5,800 taxpayers. Part of that was due to our schools. If we improve our educational system we improve the number of students that will attend. More students means more taxpayers which will lower taxes for all of us. I have heard the arguement that Warwick "can't afford it". I feel that Warwick can't afford not to have it! IEP's are as essential as Chromebooks for our students, contracts for our teachers and buildings that are up to code. As Mayor I won't stop until Warwick students have all three.

    Richard Corrente

    Democrat for Mayor

    Tuesday, May 10, 2016 Report this

  • Zepeeker

    Perhaps one of the reasons "the rate of special Ed identification in Warwick is about 20%" is because we have a pretty fabulous early intervention program. Child outreach is in place for this very reason. To identify and provide resources to children/families in need. So why, all of a sudden, are some of these children and their families being told that they no longer need services? Our schools are being consolidated, children with special needs are no longer being "weighted", and not only that, some will be placed in a large classroom for the first time ever. How is this helping them, or the other students next year!? My 4 children have been in the Warwick school system for over 16 years. I can not tell how thankful I am to only have one more left! We have been active members in our children's PTO, been to sooo many school committee meetings/consolidation meetings. I have friends leaving Warwick because they are horrified with what is happening with the school district. Please do not forget what this school committee has done! I will only be voting for one to return, and she is the one who stayed at the meeting, when all others walked out!

    Tuesday, May 10, 2016 Report this

  • richardcorrente

    Dear Zepeeper,

    You're right. They all walked out, rather than stay and face the tough questions. Only one School Committee member had the leadership, the courage and the character to sit there and listen to the angry crowd, Karen Bachus. She should be re-elected. The others should be ashamed and don't belong on the School Committee. If you haven't read "The Ragosta Report" printed in the March Beacon please do. Throughout the report, Karen kept making comments like "zero tolerance" regarding the Mario Atoyian issue, while the others were clearly sweeping it under the rug.

    Zepeeper, you say that "Child outreach is in place for this very reason." Karen Bachus knows that better than anyone on the School Committee.

    Enjoy your Summer.

    Richard Corrente

    Democrat for Mayor

    Friday, June 3, 2016 Report this