Remarks of Martin Gould on the Individuals with Disabilities

“National data show that about 27% of students who receive special education graduate with diplomas, compared to 75% of their peers in general education (NCES, 2000; DoED, 1999). About 27% of students with IEPs who complete high school enroll in post-secondary education compared to 68% of the general student population. And, three to five years after exiting high school, only a little more than half are found to be employed, compared to 69% of their peers (Fabian, Lent & Willis, 1998).”

I could just cry, after 25 years, only 27% of our kids graduate with diplomas, and out of that 27% only 27% of them go to college ;(

what is 27% of 27% ? about 5% or maybe 6% of all disabled kids? basically that means out of a hundred kids with disabilities only 5 or 6 go to college.
This is criminal :-(

Turned it over to DH, the engineer (a dyslexic who went
to college) and he computed ~ 7.29% of special ed students enroll in
post-secondary ed.

But we have to remember that they are talking in the whole
community of kids. I know we have some profoundly disabled
children in our life skills program.

But still…. it’s scary.

Anne

Many of those children in the bottom brackets of Special Ed would never receive a diploma regardless of what we may try to do for them. I am not sure if Martin’s figures would include those children who would receive “alternate” diplomas (but they doubt they do).

On a more positive note, a high school diploma is only one way of measuring the success of sped programs. Although it is not necessarily something to brag upon, simply learning enough to require minimal assisted living, or being able to hold a job of some kind (not considering sheltered workshops) can be seen as being a triumph for some.

Also, I am reasonably sure that Martin’s figures are not extrapolated to include those children with mild LD’s who would not be identified as such by the schools (and there are indeed more than one or two of these…) So perhaps we can think that some of those who do graduate out of the general population are in reality part of the smaller sub-group of sped students who graduate and even go on to post-secondary.

I know, small consolation…

I can’t help but wonder tho, how many of the OTHER group (the sped students who do not receive a diploma) fail to achieve because the schools fail them, and how many fail to achieve because their parents fail them. We spend hours each month online (sometimes each week) and it becomes easy I think to believe that all parents are like us, seeking answers, looking for or offering moral support, and most importantly, rolling up our sleeves and putting on our flak jackets to go toe-to-toe with the bullies in the system. Sadly this is not the case, and a percentage (I truly hate to guestimate, but I would say the majority) of parents do not make the noise needed to improve their child’s chances in life.

How do you advocate for a child whose parents have given up, are unable to join the effort, or simply cannot be bothered?

well Dad theres a few things you can do,

1. you can become a education surragate parent- when kids are in foster care, their fostercare parents can not act as parent for iEP’s and neighter can there case workers, the state, every state, per fed law, has to train people to be surogates, and then that person has all the rights and responsibilities regarding school and sp-ed for the child. they attend meetings and can go all the way to due process and court if nessisary.

2. You can file against a school when they are “systematically” refuseing to do things the law requires. for example if they say “all kids with capd only get 30 mion of speech a week” or “all kids with LD are mainstreamed” or “all kids only get 1 hour a week esy”, when ever a school has a illegal policy you can file against them with OCR on behalf of all kids.

3. You can start a parent support group in your neighborhood, its not hard to do if you child is in school, just go through their phonebook with them and ask them to tell you which kids go to sp-ed, look around at school functions-talk to people, at public parks, get names and phone numbers. Then make calls and start meeting, dosnt have to be formal at first, could meet once a mo. for breakfest at a local restraunt, just for emotional support and to talk to others who understand. their really is strentgh in numbers. Some parents dont have the strength to fight the system individually, but can and do as part of a group.

4. I know one mom who started a resource room in her home she lends out all kinds of educational materials and information to other parents.

most parents are so busy trying to met their own kids needs they dont think they have the time or energy to reach out and help others, but the truth is when they do, then they find that the support from joining with others actually frees up their time and makes their lives easier.

>> easy I think to believe that all parents are like us, seeking answers, looking for or offering moral support, and most importantly, rolling up our sleeves and putting on our flak jackets to go toe-to-toe with the bullies in the system. Sadly this is not the case,<<

I have noticed this over the years.

I used to work with my son and another little girl
in his third grade class. The teacher was one from the
old school who got all flustered with LD, didn’t understand
it, but would listen. This little girl’s parents and step-parents
were all very young. I just added her concerns to my son’s
and would suggest things for her.

I’ve always wondered if one of the reasons LD parents don’t
step forward for their kids is that the parents are LD and had such a
miserable time in school. You read horror stories how LD kids
were treated as near as 20 years ago.
(reading the book LEARNING OUTSIDE THE LINES - it made
me cry.)

But I do agree, so many kids seem to be in the system alone
and it breaks your heart ––-
and makes you furious at the same time, how can we, as a
country, afford to just let these kids slip away?

Anne