NY Autism Organization's Unite in Opposition to Cuts in Speech Therapy and Bigger Classes
The New York State Regents, an appointed board that sets policy for the state's schools will be voting today on new regulations that will reduce speech therapy requirements for students with autism in New York to the federally mandated minimum and increase the maximum number of students in specified classrooms for students with autism. A coalition of New York autism organizations has come together to oppose these unnecessary cuts in education for some of New York's most vulnerable students. The Regents claim this is a cost saving measure but have not bothered to determine what the purported savings would be.
If you are a New York Resident and would like to send a copy of the letter below to the Regents please click on the following link.
http://www.capwiz.com/a-champ/issues/alert/?alertid=19416501&type=CU
To the New York State Board of Regents:
We the undersigned organizations are strongly opposed to the proposed changes to New York State regulations affecting educational standards for students with autism that are being considered at the November 15th and 16th meeting of the Board in Albany, NY.
The changes that are being proposed that we object to are as follows:
- repealing the minimum service delivery requirements for speech and language;
- authorizing school districts to add up to two additional students to integrated co-teaching classes; and
- repealing the requirement that each student with autism receive instructional services to meet his/her individual language needs at a minimum of 30 minutes daily in groups not to exceed two, or 60 minutes daily in groups not to exceed six.
Children diagnosed with ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder) have significant speech and language needs. Language affects appropriate play, social skills, and a child’s ability to read, learn, comprehend and express himself or herself, appropriately. In addition, children with autism need to be able to engage in discussions on or off topic, change their minds or make up their minds, understand ideas and where they come from, and be able to write and understand what is written. These language needs affect individuals with autism throughout their lifespan, and are at the heart of personal relationships, self-advocacy, everyday problem-solving, and employment skills . These are just a few examples of what language entails for a child with autism and to reduce these currently regulated services would negatively impact these children.
It is our understanding that several attempts have been made over the years to reduce the minimum amount of speech therapy for students with autism.
If there is an imbalance in the amount of speech therapy offered to all students with disabilities, the error is on the side of insufficient services for the current demand. Many students with a medical diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder are categorized as Other Health Impaired for educational purposes where there are no speech standards. We know many classified students are denied the minimum service standard unless parents educate themselves on their children’s rights and fight to secure the minimum. Hard, objective data should be gathered on how many students are actually receiving adequate speech therapy to address their needs before any changes are made to the New York regulations.
Further, no one has offered any cogent argument of how larger class sizes in integrated co-teaching classes will assist students in receiving a free and appropriate public education. In the absence of such information, the Regents should defer any consideration of these issues until a full analysis has been done of the possible implications of these decisions.
New York policy has wisely sought to offer students with autism education that exceeds the bare minimums required by federal law. Adopting these proposals would mark the beginning of an educational “race to the bottom” for students with autism. All three proposals are not in the best interest of students with autism, our schools, or the people of New York as whole, and they should be rejected by the Regents.
We are asking for the opportunity to meet in person with the Board of Regents, Commissioner David Steiner and others regarding this issue to discuss this pending proposal. We collectively represent thousands of families with autism and believe our input is imperative and necessary prior to any changes in the current standards.
Sincerely,
Autism Action Network (AAN) www.autismactionnetwork.org
Autism Action Network (AAN) NY Chapter www.autismactionnetwork.org
Elizabeth Birt Center for Autism Law and Advocacy (EBCALA) www.ebcala.org
National Autism Association (NAA) NY Metro Chapter www.naanyc.org
Foundation for Autism Information and Research, Inc. (FAIR) www.autismmedia.org
Nassau Suffolk Chapter of the Autism Society of America (ASA) www.nsasa.org
The Central New York Chapter of Autism Society of America www.cnyana.org
Western NY Chapter of the ASA www.autismwny.org
The Autism Society of the Greater Capital Region, New York www.albanyautism.org
Autism Society Bronx Chapter [email protected]
Autism Society Hudson Valley Chapter www.autism-society.org/site/Clubs?club_id=1223&pg=main
Project LINK www.projectlinkforkids.org
Advocates for Autism www.advocatesforautism.com
Developmental Delay Resources (DDR) www.devdelay.org
ADHD Autism Advocates www.ADHDAutismAdvocates.com
Upstate New York Families for Effective Autism Treatments (UNYFEAT) www.unyfeat.org
Upstate New York Autism Awareness www.upstatenyautism.org
Elmcrest Early Education Center www.elmcrestearlyed.com
I am not counting on any adult services for my son- it's not even feasible given the numbers. When he got the medicaid waiver, it was like winning the lottery.
Schools where we live are abyssmal compared to what I'm reading above about NY. I applaud you for fighting these changes. I have never heard of minimum SLP. Our state barely meets fed regs and they will take liberties wherever and whenever they can if it means doing less for kids with disabilities.
Posted by: Kristine | November 16, 2010 at 12:16 AM
What has bothered me for yrs. is the numbers. The nysdoh gets the autism population numbers from the nysdoe. They in turn classify ASD kids as SLP or OHI, quite by design--speech providers are cheaper than aba providers. It takes an act of God to get a asd child classified as autistic in nyc and forget a medical dx-means nothing to them. So now they have purposely undercounted the population which in turn prevents both private and school providers from hanging their shingle in certain areas. Not properly classifying children at the DOE level tanks everything.
Posted by: Veronica | November 15, 2010 at 06:05 PM
One of the things that baffles me about this Regents measure is that funding is not a NY State Education Department issue. It is a medicaid issue. That is who pays for supplementary services in education. It doesn't even touch school budgets. However, I do find it interesting that as we tighten the straps on education, medicaid, and autism spending, the new governor has promised tax cuts to those making over 250k a year..
Posted by: jennifer polak | November 15, 2010 at 12:02 PM
Even more frightening is that the government WON'T provide.
maurine
Posted by: Maurine Meleck | November 15, 2010 at 11:20 AM
The difficult truth about that is that the government won't be able to provide for all their care and, therefore, won't. Or, if there is some semblance of assistance for autistic adults, it will be so woefully inadequate that it would be cruel to subject them to it. We only have to look at the state of government care for many veterans, for example, to see what awaits autistic adults.
Posted by: Concerned Mom | November 15, 2010 at 11:04 AM
ABC 7 in San Francisco ran this story on Nov 12: Special ed students could bankrupt districts
http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?section=news/education&id=7786691 .
Autism is a growing problem in our schools. The costs are devastating. No one seems to be asking where all the kids are coming from however.
In the very near future, as these children become adults, the real tsunami will hit when the government has to provide for all of their care.
Anne Dachel
Media
Posted by: Anne McElroy Dachel | November 15, 2010 at 09:56 AM