SD13 - A Study of the Preparation of Special Education Instructional and Administrative Personnel, Class Size Requirements and the Funding of Special Education Programs
Executive Summary: This report is made pursuant to Senate Joint Resolution 200 of the 1989 Session of the General Assembly, requesting a study on the preparation of special education instructional and administrative personnel and the funding of special education programs in response to Senate Joint Resolution 200. The Board of Education conducted a study of three prominent issues regarding the education of handicapped children and youth. The issues addressed in the study focused on (1) preparation of special instructional and administrative personnel; (2) class size requirements; and (3) the impact of the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission's funding methodology on special education program quality. In order to ensure that the findings of the study reflected the interest of Virginia's special education constituency, comments regarding the issues addressed in the Resolution were solicited from 71 advocacy organizations, 38 professional and parent organizations including the 12 participating state agencies in the Plan of Cooperation, the 128 professionals, and educators serving on the Division of Special Education's nine program task forces, the Council of Special Education Directors representing the 139 school divisions, the Virginia Council of Administrators of Special Education and the 38 institutions of higher education with teacher training programs. In addition, data was collected from a national survey conducted by the National Association of State Directors of Special Education, a random sampling of school divisions representing a cross section of the state, a review of the approved restructured teacher education programs, a review of research literature and from the Budget Office of the Department of Education. An analysis of the data revealed significant findings. Among the most significant findings were the following: 1. There is evidence to suggest that a significant number of instructional and administrative personnel are currently providing services to students with handicaps in mainstream environments who do not have the benefit of any training in special education, because only half of the approved teacher education programs in Virginia offer instruction in the area of special education to regular and vocational education teachers. 2. There is an inconsistent pattern of class sizes/caseloads throughout the United States, many of which have no basis in research. 3. The JLARC method has had the desired effect of a more equitable distribution of state funds to localities to support the cost of providing special education and related services to handicapped children. 4. The method of funding the state's share of the cost of operating special education programs in local school divisions is not well understood by LEA special education administrators and consumers. 5. The JLARC method causes financial difficulty for LEAs in some instances where new personnel must be employed during the school year, and also because of the fact that preschool handicapped students cannot be counted in average daily membership. 6. There is no requirement that localities spend a minimum amount for special education in order to receive state funds. Consumers and some LEA special education administrators believe that such a requirement should be mandated by the state. 7. Consumers are seeking mandatory line item accounting for special education revenues and expenditures in local school division budgets so that they might know how much money goes into local programs. From these findings recommendations were developed and a plan of action outlined. The implementation of the plan in conjunction with the ongoing initiatives should result in elevating Virginia to the "cutting edge" of emerging issues in special education and ensure its position of leadership among the best special education programs in the nation. |
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