Latest news with #IEP
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Lawmaker says public, private schools play a role in educating foster children in WV
BECKLEY, WV (WVNS) — The West Virginia Center for Budget and Policy found in 2023 that West Virginia places children in foster at the highest rate of any state in the country, four times the national average. The study found that while West Virginia had only 0.5% of the national population, 2.2% of American children entering foster care were from West Virginia. The study also found that the number of children in foster care in West Virginia jumped by 57% between 2012 and 2021, despite an overall population decline of 4%. Additionally, the study found that parental rights of West Virginia parents are terminated more often than that of any other state, at a nearly 40% higher rate of speed. West Virginia Delegate Elliott Pritt, a Republican lawmaker who represents District 50, said the foster care system and needs of foster care children and others is now a strong consideration in the state education system. 'The foster care system is inundated with kids, and I think our public schools are inundated with kids that have problems, societal problems, familial problems, and it's not just foster kids,' said Pritt, adding that a number of children in family living situations have needs which require special support from the education system.' Data on public state websites showed around 6,292 foster children were enrolled in public schools in West Virginia in 2023. Ten interesting facts you might not have known about West Virginia Christy Day, spokeswoman for the West Virginia Department of Education, said that 2,142 foster children had an Individualized Education Plan, or an IEP, to meet special educational needs, in the 2023-2024 school year. The data shows that around 35% of students in foster care in 2023 required special education, compared to 22% of students who were not in foster care during the same year. It was unclear on Thursday, May 29, 2025, if the percentage accurately reflected the number of foster children who were in need of an IEP. Pritt said on Wednesday, May 28, 2025, that, due to recent legislation, state law now requires public schools to maintain a certain ratio of counselors, in order to meet students' special needs. Day said that the West Virginia Schools for Diversion and Transition employ professionals who solely provide support to students in foster care, adding that the title of Education Recovery Specialists had been transitioned to a new name, Foster Care Education Specialists. 'This program is a referral-based program and provides services to foster and kinship youth as needed,' Day wrote in an email. 'It also supports those youth identified by schools.' Day said the program assists foster care students and foster parents with document retrieval, enrollment, post high school college planning, programs and support referrals, and transcript analysis. Beckley attorney fears Senate bill could have negative effect on mental health services for at-risk transgender youth in the state Pritt said that private schools also play a role in addressing the educational needs of the state as it relates to students who are in foster care. He said that state law did not grant tax breaks to private schools which admit foster children, but he pointed out that the Hope Scholarship program, which takes money from public school coffers to allow parents or guardians to transfer a child to a homeschool or private school, provides tax dollars to private schools. 'I would hope that now, taking public money, that many of these schools would loosen up requirements or understand that there's a need in our communities, especially religious private schools,' said Pritt, 'that they are serving a community that has needs and that they would accept the applications of some of these kids.' Lawmaker aims to abolish alimony in West Virginia Pritt added that if foster children disagreed with the philosophy of a specific private or public school or homeschool curriculum, they could notify their caseworkers and request a change of educational setting. Day said that the WVDE Office of Special Education oversees the progress of disabled students in public and charter schools. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Why South-Western City Schools parents are considering leaving the district
GROVE CITY, Ohio (WCMH) — The South Western City School board said joining conservative advisory groups welcomed diverse perspectives to the district. Many parents disagree. Parents said they were concerned about the conservative policies of the National School Board Leadership Council, one of four advisory groups the board joined on April 28. Although it was one of several conservatively aligned groups the board joined, parents were especially concerned about the NSBLC and said the decision to join groups like it could contribute to them voting against future levies or even leaving the district. The NSBLC's website says it encourages districts to remove 'learning-challenged' students from general education classrooms, promote competition between public schools and charter or private options, and that non-English speaking students are an 'unacceptable cost to taxpayers.' Tiffany Cheney has a daughter in South Western schools with an individualized learning plan, or IEP, for two language disorder diagnoses, and said she is 'looking to flee' the district because of the board's actions. OSU researcher: $700K grant canceled when DOGE misunderstood use of 'climate' 'To hear that our current school board sees my smart, creative and intelligent daughter as a waste of resources, or should be considered to be segregated due to her uniqueness is not only disheartening but many steps back in an equal rights climate,' Cheney said. NBC4 spoke with more than a dozen parents, and only one of whom said joining the group was a positive move. A high schooler with autism has gathered nearly 400 signatures on a petition to stop the district from joining the NSBLC. A school board candidate and parent to a student with an IEP, Chelsea Alkire, used to teach English as a second language in the district and thought joining the NSBLC was 'like a slap in the face.' 'I was honestly between shocked and one of the highest levels of frustrated and angered I had ever been,' Alkire said. School board member Denise D'Angelo and board President Chris Boso addressed public concerns. They said nothing has changed under the new membership and that the district already separates students based on what is best for their learning and approve an English-only curriculum. Both said joining the NSBLC and other groups like it provides increased diversity of thought for the school board, and Boso warned the 'noise' and 'hysteria' would harm the district. 'If our finances don't go the way they should, we're going to be going for a levy and the people in this community are going to hear all this going on and they're not going to vote for a levy,' Boso said. City of Columbus asks court to dismiss cyber lawsuits Boso was referring to the current Ohio budget plan, which reduces funding for public schools. Board members said the state's plan would cost the district $150 million. As Boso addressed community members, several yelled over him that it would be the board's fault if a levy failed. 'Calling individuals who disagree with him as 'hysterical' is rude, impolite and shortsighted,' said Kelly Dillon, parent to two district high schoolers. 'How are we supposed to help our children understand civic engagement and 'American exceptionalism' if we do not participate in the process?' Parents acknowledged the state's funding changes would put the board in a hard position but worried people would vote against a levy because of the board. Graduates and parents like Kyra Paul, who has two young children in the district, said she would vote in favor because she remembered attending schools under a failed levy. However, she thought she'd be in the minority. 'If they put a levy on the ballot, I know that said levy will not pass because our community members and stakeholders believe that the board is not being good stewards of our money, and they are not making good decisions,' Paul said. Anthony Wilson has two students at district schools and said both will attend a new school in the fall, one of several parents who told NBC4 they may leave the district. Tessa Schwabeland said her son will be a freshman in a district high school this fall, but she worries about his IEP and how the decision to join the NSBLC will make students with different learning plans feel. 'None of us want to leave our public schools. We want to trust them,' Schwabeland said. 'But if leadership prioritizes ideology over inclusion, families will walk away not because they want to, but because they feel they have no choice.' Why the Short North may soon charge extra for dining, shopping Not all parents disagree with the decision. Parent Robing Gorrell said she was worried about what she had seen at school and thought joining the NSBLC was a good step. 'I am pleased with the board's decision,' Gorrell said. 'My kids are going to school to learn — reading, writing, math … not figure out their gender with unsolicited pushing or figure out whom they want to have sex with, being made to feel weird/different for being straight.' Spokesperson Evan Debo said joining the groups does not mean the district will make changes. He said the district has no plans to discontinue the English program serving students of more than 81 languages. Debo also said the district received the state's highest designation for special education. 'There have been no cuts or program eliminations proposed or voted on to eliminate parts of the academic infrastructure, resources or continuity of programming we currently have in place,' Debo said. 'SWCS remains resolute in its unwavering commitment to providing a high-quality education for the 21,000 students we serve annually.' Overwhelmingly, however, parents told NBC4 they disagreed with the decision. 'I am so disappointed in SWCSD,' parent Savanna McCoy said. 'I would think that they'd want to stay away from an advisory board with such extreme ideals and beliefs. … I'm not proud to have my son in this district at all.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
U.S. Dept. of Education says special education funds untouched in reduction process
The Lyndon Baines Johnson Department of Education Building in Washington, D.C., pictured on Nov. 25, 2024. (Photo by Shauneen Miranda/States Newsroom) Before a federal judge temporarily halted the dissolution of the agency Thursday, the U.S. Department of Education ensured 'uninterrupted services' to children and youth with disabilities, in response to probing questions by U.S. Senators from Virginia and other states about the future of special education. The questions, spearheaded by Sen. Lisa Blunt Rochester of Delaware in a letter to Secretary of Education Linda McMahon, came after President Donald Trump and his administration launched efforts to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education. A key point of concern for the lawmakers was the one-month freeze on investigations into discrimination complaints that left a backlog of 12,000 complaints, 'half of which involve students with disabilities,' Democratic U.S. Sens. Mark Warner and Tim Kaine of Virginia and 20 of their colleagues wrote. The agency's plans are of particular significance for Virginia, where a federal investigation found that the Virginia Department of Education failed to meet federal requirements to help resolve disputes involving students with disabilities beginning in 2019. In December 2024, the investigation ended after the Office of Special Education Programs wrote in a letter that all of its findings and required actions for the agency were closed. Virginia was responsible for nearly 186,000 students with disabilities this past school year, an increase of almost 5,000 students from the 2023-24 academic period. As federal law requires, Virginia must provide all students with disabilities a 'free and appropriate public education' through personalized plans under the Individualized Education Program (IEP). Facing special ed teacher shortage, Va. education board votes to expand educator pipeline Sarah Ursprung, acting assistant secretary for legislation and congressional affairs for the federal department, wrote to lawmakers in April that no formula funding to states, including Title I and IDEA, was cut, and the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) continues its enforcement work with a reduced workforce and the same commitment to vigorous vindication of students' civil rights. 'The department remains committed to ensuring uninterrupted services to meet the needs and develop the potential of children and youth with disabilities pursuant to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA),' Ursprung wrote in a letter provided to the Mercury. The senators' letter also highlighted their reservations about limited staff at the agency. U.S. Sens. Mark Warner and Tim Kaine from Virginia signed Rochester's letter in April that said the cuts would have 'immense harm' to all students. 'While we appreciate receiving a response from the Department of Education, we still have serious concerns about how the department can ensure services for students with disabilities aren't interrupted when Secretary McMahon has already reduced staff by nearly 50% and said she intends to close the department,' the senators wrote. Ursprung said that no employees in the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP), the Rehabilitation Services Administration or the National Center for Special Education Research (NCSER) were subject to the staff cuts on March 11. Employees involved in policy and administrative functions, whose duties the agency said can be reassigned or eliminated, were the ones subject to firing. NCSER-supported research continues with obligated funds, according to Ursprung. The research center helps experts understand more about children who have or may have disabilities by studying them from infancy through college. The trajectory of the federal education department, and the fallout in Virginia, remains uncertain, after the Massachusetts federal judge paused its dismantling and ordered the Trump administration to reinstate over 1,300 employees. The department is expected to appeal the decision. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Express Tribune
25-05-2025
- Business
- Express Tribune
Govt expedites dams amid India tensions
Listen to article Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal on Saturday said the government would expedite the completion of all hydro-related projects, including Diamer-Bhasha and Mohmand dams, to prevent India from gaining any strategic advantage. "We are prioritising them so that Pakistani water is secure," Iqbal said while speaking to a delegation of engineers led by Secretary General Institution of Engineers Pakistan (IEP) Engr Ameer Zameer. He stated that work on hydro projects was being prioritised in response to India's water aggression. India plans to dramatically increase the water it draws from a major river that feeds Pakistani farms downstream, as part of what it claims to be retaliatory action for a deadly last month attack on tourists in IIOJK's Pahalgam that New Delhi blames on Islamabad, according to four people familiar with the matter, Reuters reported. While discussing plans for the green initiative, the planning minister stated that engineers were receiving training in China. "The prime minister has sent over a thousand agricultural engineers to China for training, who will complete their training this year and bring about an agricultural Green Revolution 2.0," he said. "We aim to develop our own seeds and modernise our dairy and livestock sectors." The planning minister observed that within the budget, funding has been allocated for an internship for engineers. "Thousands of young engineers across the country will be able to receive on-the-job training so that they receive better job opportunities in the market." However, he stated that Pakistan would only have a development budget of Rs1 trillion to do all of this. "Our ministers required Rs3 trillion to complete our ongoing projects. But, because of this shortfall, we are putting a cap on low-priority projects and will try to complete our high-priority projects as quickly as possible. Iqbal further stated that Pakistan will raise its defence budget for the upcoming fiscal year 2025-26 keeping in view the recent escalation with India and New Delhi suspending a key river water-sharing treaty with Islamabad. Earlier, the government planned to present the federal budget on June 2 but on Friday, Adviser to the Finance Minister Khurram Shahzad said that the budget would be presented on June 10. The planning minister clarified that the budget had not been delayed due to any pressure from the IMF.
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Guilford County Schools explains funding challenge to serve exceptional children
GUILFORD COUNTY, N.C. (WGHP) — Guilford County Schools is grappling with an issue facing school districts nationwide. Educators want to know how they can best educate students with disabilities or learning challenges, who are also known as exceptional children. The number of students with disabilities or learning challenges has gone up in recent years, and the funding from the federal and state levels to provide legally mandated services has not. GCS is stretching itself thin to meet the needs of thousands of exceptional children. Exceptional children are those who have different educational needs than other students, whether it be in the form of a physical disability or one that isn't as apparent. Lindy Teachy works as an EC support lead for seven elementary schools with GCS. 'We definitely see a rise in our students who have mental health, social, emotional needs, behavioral needs. There's definitely been an increase in recent years in students who are presenting with those needs,' Teachy said. Exceptional children are given individual educational programs, or IEPs, which are legally binding documents with a plan for the student to achieve their educational goals with the support structure they need. A student granted an IEP must fall into one of 14 categories under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, including autism, ADHD and more. To give students the best tools to be able to learn and focus, teachers often get creative on their own. At Bessemer Elementary School, Mrs. Morehead's classroom contains a balancing desk, a rocking chair and other options to help students. She also provides tea and snacks out of her own pocket, and she brought the rocking chair from home. Making sure all students have an accessible education is no small feat. In addition to a monetary cost, it comes at an emotional cost as well. 'They are doing the work, meeting the needs. They are very tired,' Teachy said. The state provides funding for EC students that is capped at 13 percent of the student body and at about $5,300 per student. GCS has about 10,000 EC students, which is closer to 15 percent, according to district officials. 'Our state-level funding has pretty much remained the same,' said Kimberly Steinke, the chief exceptional children and student services officer at GCS. While most of the EC students have milder challenges, some have far greater needs that exceed $5,300 a year. One example is a child requiring a nurse. 'On average, the cost of a nurse per year per student is about $65,000,' Steinke said. They also need more teachers and volunteers. 'All of the resources and all of the technology and all of the curriculum in the world cannot replace a good teacher,' Teachy said. If you are interested in volunteering, visit the school district website to learn more. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
