Aug 18, 2017, Bellevue (WA) Reporter: Bellevue School Board to vote on $301.5 million budget for 2017-18 http://www.bellevuereporter.com/news/bellevue-school-board-to-vote-on-301-5-million-budget-for-2017-18/
“One of the areas where we’re spending more is special education,” deVita said of the $3.2 million increase. “… We are moving forward with a model of inclusion, which basically says special needs children are general ed kids first and we’re working to put them in the least restrictive environment.”
That includes more co-teaching, she said, and working with SWIFT, an organization that provides academic and behavioral support.
Childhood Lost
Children today are noticeably different from previous generations, and the proof is in the news coverage we see every day. This site shows you what’s happening in schools around the world. Children are increasingly disabled and chronically ill, and the education system has to accommodate them. Things we've long associated with autism, like sensory issues, repetitive behaviors, anxiety and lack of social skills, are now problems affecting mainstream students. Blame is predictably placed on bad parenting (otherwise known as trauma from home).
Addressing mental health needs is as important as academics for modern educators. This is an unrecognized disaster. The stories here are about children who can’t learn or behave like children have always been expected to. What childhood has become is a chilling portent for the future of mankind.