According to the article, IEP’s, Related Services, and Third Party Billing, related services can considered anything that will help a child throughout their educational career. This includes assistive technology and extra support staff.
IDEA states: related services are described as developmental, corrective, and other supportive services that are required to assist a child with a disability to benefit from special education.
Also, according to the Free Approrpriate Public Education Act, these services have to be paid for by the school districts. Which makes school districts spend a lot of tax payers dollars on things not every student in the school will use.
From 1982 to 1998 there was a 117% increase in spending on Special Education (compared 69% increase in the general education setting ). This is for many reasons. There has become a higher percentage of students enrolling in schools with special needs because of the deinstitutionalization of children. Also, advancements in technology and medical knowledge has allowed researchers to create new and better accommodations that will help specific students (Parrish).
Schools all over are creating their budgets for next year. They are cutting costs left and right. I wouldn't be surprised if special education is put on the platform to cut. To many people it is seen as a costly program, which "teaches dumb people to flip burgers."
Well in my professional opinion people who say things like this are degrading and shouldn't be allowed to even discuss the budget. It is not just a part of special education law that students with disabilities are educated, but it is about human rights. Everyone has the right to learn up to their fullest potential. There are many ways to cut costs in all areas, which don't interfere with any students learning. It's time to take a step back and remember who is really hurting during these harsh economic times: the children. So as this blog continues I hope that people can see how little things can be done to create a bigger picture. I'm only talking about cutting costs in the sensory motor department, I'm sure other areas of schools can find ways to decrease costs as well.
EP's, Related Services, and Third Party Billing. (2004, July). The Exceptional Parent, 34(7), 73-75. Retrieved from http://vnweb.hwwilsonweb.com.libezproxy2.syr.edu/hww/results/
external_link_maincontentframe.jhtml?_DARGS=/hww/results/results_common.jhtml.44
Parrish, T. (2000). Who's Paying the Rising Cost of Special Education.
Journal of Special Education Leadership, 1-18. Retrieved from
http://csef.air.org/publications/related/jsel/parrish_jsel.pdf
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