Senate Bill 3 is being heard in Committee at the moment to add a new task force to study special education.
As I listen, it appears that there are parties who are willing to add parents, which I’ve advocated for, and the administration is in agreement with my wife’s position that we don’t need another task force.
Today’s committee hearing is just the first step… I’m sure there is more to come on this, no matter how it comes out.
“The purpose of the task force is to examine the rising numbers of students in South Dakota schools who are being identified as in need of special education or special education and related services, to examine the increasing costs of the services these students require, and to develop recommendations to address the situation.”
Does this seem like a very broad charter to you? And to call rising special education student numbers and costs a “situation” is an odd word choice.
Finally, shouldn’t someone from the state’s ongoing Special Education Advisory Panel be included? See: https://doe.sd.gov/sped/advisory.aspx
it’s amazing how many parents are informed their child is in need of special ed, for problems never noticed by anyone else, like parents, grandparents, pediatricians, etc.
On moving back to SD from Georgia we were informed our 7 year old daughter, who had lived in the South from the age of one year, was in need of speech therapy. Prior to that the only speech problem any teachers had identified was that She talked too much. But in South Dakota, she was identified as having special needs. So I can see where some people might be suspicious of the number of kids in need of special ed.
Speaking as someone who received speech therapy as a 4- and 5-year old and grew to be a talk radio host and speaker as an adult, I can relate. I grew up before special education guarantees were written into federal law, so my parents paid for my treatments to resolve my stammer and stutter. This also brings up an important point – most kids identified as being in need of special education and related services are not “sped kids” for the rest of their education careers or lives. Most are kids like I was, who need some extra help for a relatively brief period and then are removed from special ed identification.
Our daughter didn’t stutter, lisp, or anything else. Her teachers reported she talked too much in class. She had a southern accent; most often noticed was the way she said “hi.” She received speech therapy and none of us could tell the difference. Our tax dollars at work.
You and your wife are both important people, Pat. Very important. Do you feel validated now?
I’m not sure I was seeking validation as much as making sure parents are considered if they intend to evaluate special education services.
Not that it’s going to matter. Frankly, I think this could be the first veto of Governor Noem’s career, if it makes it that far.