The latest attack on the city’s largest charter-school network comes via a federal complaint filed by parents of 13 special-education students once or still enrolled in a Success Academy. Yet the real special-ed scandal in this town centers on the shameful way the regular schools fail such children.
Opinion By New York Post Editorial Board on January 26, 2016
Opinion By New York Post Editorial Board on January 26, 2016
The lawsuit accuses Success of failing to provide the necessary resources for “special education pupils . . . while often retaining the students to repeat a grade,” “recommending they transfer back into regular schools,” imposing excessive suspensions, etc.
Here’s the thing: Success and other top charters do special ed the way it’s supposed to be done. They work hard to help these kids learn their way out of the program.
In far too many regular schools, special education is Hotel California: You can never leave. You’re stuck there until they find a way to hand you a worthless diploma.
Indeed, Marcus Winters’ landmark 2013 Manhattan Institute study found that New York City special-ed kids are far more likely to graduate out of the special-ed track in a charter than in a regular school.
Transfers? The numbers, Winters noted, show that more special-ed kids transfer to charter schools than transfer out.
It’s telling that the suit hits Success for refusing to promote kids who aren’t ready for the next grade. That’s worth applause, not a court fight — and it’s what the regular public schools claim to do, as well.
As for resources: Yes, many charters don’t have the resources to assist some special-needs students — because anti-charter forces want it that way.
A third of the city’s regular public schools don’t have enough rooms to accommodate the greatest-need special-needs students, the ones in “12-1-1” programs (12 students, one teacher, one aide). Park Slope special-needs parent Doug McCurry made that point on these pages a year ago. (His son now thrives in a Success school.)
And charter foes do their best to limit charters’ space. They also get far less per-pupil funding from the state.
Of course, it’s not just frustrated parents suing: Joining the suit are Public Advocate Letitia James and City Council Education Committee boss Daniel Dromm, both charter opponents and Success-haters.
If these politicians really cared about children who need special education, they’d be looking to boost Success and other charters, not stifle them.
Here’s the thing: Success and other top charters do special ed the way it’s supposed to be done. They work hard to help these kids learn their way out of the program.
In far too many regular schools, special education is Hotel California: You can never leave. You’re stuck there until they find a way to hand you a worthless diploma.
Indeed, Marcus Winters’ landmark 2013 Manhattan Institute study found that New York City special-ed kids are far more likely to graduate out of the special-ed track in a charter than in a regular school.
Transfers? The numbers, Winters noted, show that more special-ed kids transfer to charter schools than transfer out.
It’s telling that the suit hits Success for refusing to promote kids who aren’t ready for the next grade. That’s worth applause, not a court fight — and it’s what the regular public schools claim to do, as well.
As for resources: Yes, many charters don’t have the resources to assist some special-needs students — because anti-charter forces want it that way.
A third of the city’s regular public schools don’t have enough rooms to accommodate the greatest-need special-needs students, the ones in “12-1-1” programs (12 students, one teacher, one aide). Park Slope special-needs parent Doug McCurry made that point on these pages a year ago. (His son now thrives in a Success school.)
And charter foes do their best to limit charters’ space. They also get far less per-pupil funding from the state.
Of course, it’s not just frustrated parents suing: Joining the suit are Public Advocate Letitia James and City Council Education Committee boss Daniel Dromm, both charter opponents and Success-haters.
If these politicians really cared about children who need special education, they’d be looking to boost Success and other charters, not stifle them.
http://nypost.com/2016/01/24/the-real-special-ed-scandal-is-in-regular-public-schools/
No comments:
Post a Comment