May 25, 2018, Moorpark (CA) Acorn: School officials say special ed growing, but funding lagging https://www.mpacorn.com/articles/school-officials-say-special-ed-growing-but-funding-lagging/ An increase in special-education students has presented a challenge for Moorpark Unified School District and for Ventura County’s 19 other districts. “Although most districts in this county have declining enrollment, most districts in this county have increased enrollment in special education,” Diane Weis, director of special education, said. But despite the increasing numbers, school leaders say, the amount of state funding for those students is decreasing. … Special-education students include those who need additional help with learning or those who have psychological disabilities, emotional issues or speech, hearing, visual or other health impairments. The numbers During the 2016-17 school year, the district spent about $11 million of its nearly $62-million budget on special education, including teachers’ salaries and individualized services. … “Special education in general is becoming a statewide, if not nationwide, challenge. We certainly see it here in our county,” the superintendent said. “This challenge is mostly due to a lack of funding. We do not receive adequate state or federal funding for special education.” In order for a student to become eligible for special education, they must have a processing delay or at least one of 13 different conditions, such as autism or hearing problems. This year, 944 students, or about 15 percent, of MUSD’s 6,300-member student body are receiving services from special education staff. The compares to 11 percent of the student body in 2002, when the district served about 868 special-education students in a student population of 7,800. Why the rise?... She pointed to a stat showing the district had about 30 students diagnosed as autistic in 2002. This year there are 103. Weis also said experts are seeing more kids with mental health issues. Again, she wasn’t certain whether more youngsters in today’s classrooms do have more mental health problems or whether those making the diagnoses are getting better at recognizing issues…. What’s more, Weis said, the district is also seeing a rise in the number of students with the “other health-impaired” designation, or disabilities that range from attention difficulties to auditory problems. In 2002, 54 students were so designated. Last year 118 were. …
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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.
Anne Dachel, Media editor, Age of Autism
http://www.ageofautism.com/media/
(John Dachel, Tech. assist.)
What will happen in another 4 years? How can we go on like this? This is a national (and international) problem of monumental proportions. We have an entire new class of children who cannot be accommodated by the system: many are manifestly neurologically impaired. Meanwhile, the government and the medical profession sleep on regardless.
John Stone,
UK media editor, Age of Autism
The generation of American children born after 1990 are arguably the sickest generation in the history of our country.
Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.
It seemed to me that with rising autism prevalence, you’d also see rising autism costs to society, and it turns out, the costs are catastrophic.
They calculated that in 2015 autism cost the United States $268 billion and they projected that if autism continues at its current rate, we’re looking at one trillion dollars a year in autism costs by 2025, so within five years.
Toby Rogers, PhD, Political economist
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