Potsdam, NY: SPED is one fifth of budget, one fifth of students

June 24, 2017, Potsdam (NY) North Country Now: Evaluation finds Massena Central School special education understaffed, but doing a good job http://northcountrynow.com/news/evaluation-finds-massena-central-school-special-education-understaffed-doing-good-job-0201719 A recent evaluation found that the Massena Central special education program is doing a good job with the students who need it, but it’s understaffed, according to Superintendent Pat Brady…. Brady said the board wrote in two additional special education positions in the 2017-18 budget, but they’re having trouble hiring them. “Most schools in the North Country and throughout much of the state are finding it difficult to hire special education teachers because they are in limited supply. We are in fact looking for two at this point,” Brady said. He said the board welcomed the Futures Education report. “When you have a major program like this, it’s important we examine it from time to time and when you bring in an outside perspective of people who have been in the field as special education teachers, directors of special education, superintendents … I think it was a valuable exercise and we will use their recommendations as we set up our goals over the next couple of years,” he said. “Our special education program impacts a fifth of our students, and approximately one fifth of our school budget.”