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Experts and parents alike have been confused on whether Missouri is really the last state to have separate, state-funded schools for the severely disabled. Special education is complicated. There are so many different factors to consider- the environment, the teachers, the therapies and other services. So even though the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act passed 40 years ago and provided a framework for the country, it’s still left up to each state to come up with their own best practices.In five-part KBIA series we explore the differing paths of Missouri's special education program.

Exploring the Paths of Missouri’s Special Education: 'Re-Inventing Special Education'

KBIA

Note: In an earlier version of the text version of this story we incorrectly attributed numerous quotes to Terry Belden, the executive director of the Missouri Council of Administrators of Special Education.  In fact these quotations should have been attributed to Steven Belden, the president of the Missouri Council of Administrators of Special Education. This story has been updated to reflect the correction. 

 
Special education is complicated. There are so many different factors to consider- the environment, the teachers, the therapies and other services. So even though the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act passed 40 years ago and provided a framework for the country, it’s still left up to each state to come up with their own best practices.

Historically, special education and general education have been handled very differently, even separately. But now one organization in Missouri is working alongside a few other states in hopes to change that.

  

This is the fifth and final installment of the series “Exploring the paths of Missouri’s special education.” You can find the other four stories here and check back there next week for a more in-depth web version of this coverage.

Rules and regulations are often a big focus in special education, but now organizations are saying it should be more about the outcomes and specialized teaching. Seven states are trying to make that shift using a project called “Re-inventing Special Education” and Missouri is in the preliminary stages of becoming part of the project.

Steven Belden is the president of the Missouri Council of Administrators of Special Education, or MO-CASE, which started Missouri’s look at the program in 2013. He said the idea is to continue to provide all types of services, but to get rid of the idea that special education is separate.

In this program individualized plans will be made for all students below a certain performance level and students would only qualify for special education if their disability impacts learning directly. Belden said ultimately this would help all students who might be behind their peers, not just those in special education.

“Too often, there’s not a whole lot of collaboration looking at all the students and how we can set up the structures to best work together,” Belden said. 

He said while MO-CASE is separate from the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education and doesn’t have specific influence over any laws, schools can still work with them to make changes to their systems now instead of waiting for what he said is an overdue update to federal law.

“Every state, Missouri included, although kids are more included and we’re seeing more progress, we’re not seeing enough as far as the outcomes,” Belden said.

The first step for looking into the program involved a study asking what types of things were needed in Missouri’s special education system. The second step is to learn from other states with the same program. Some of the final steps involve looking back at Missouri, partnering with other organizations and then creating a vision for the program, which will come at the end of this ten-year plan.

Florida is one of the other states with this program. Monica Verra-Tirado is the Bureau Chief at the Department of Education in Florida.

While many states consider the concept of inclusion to be important, it’s not actually written into federal law. But Verra-Tirado said the word “inclusion” is in the Florida statute to emphasize its importance.

“And our emphasis has been that all students are a part of general education and some students may need extra support to be successful in general education,” she said. “But special education is a service, not a place.”

A small number of students in Florida are served in separate buildings but they’re run by the local public school. Students at these schools also have the same curriculum as they would in the general education building.

Colorado is another state with the Re-invent special education program. Since 2004, Colorado had issues with meeting IDEA requirements and have since been working to revamp its approach to special education.

Randy Boyer is the Assistant Commissioner for the Department of Education in Colorado. He said as part of the program they’ve moved to include all students in the general education classroom, giving them the option to learn from their peers despite their IQ levels.

“I mean that’s the whole problem with containment is that you have no other role models to select from or you don’t see anything any differently and it just becomes a whole…It’s just surreal is what it becomes,” Boyer said.

He also says adding students with disabilities into the general education classroom adds something to their peer’s education too.

“It just brings so much enrichment to the climate and the culture of the school,” Boyer said. “And it takes a while for kids to get accustomed to it. But they, you know, have no issues with kids that have differences. I mean they get it.”

He said he’s shocked Missouri still has separate state-funded schools for the severely disabled.

“And it’s just, I’m kind of surprised that your state still takes educationally funded kids and puts them in a separate facility,” he said. “That’s… yeah… I would say your probably one of the few in the country that still do that.”

Stephen Barr is the Assistant Commissioner of the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. He said he doesn’t believe Missouri’s state schools really are that different.

“We’re not as different as people may perceive, while we’re the only state that calls them state schools for severely disabled, many other states, at least 20 have what we call regional schools,” Barr said.

While Missouri’s vision for how the program would be implemented here still isn’t complete, “Re-inventing Special Education” is about uniting all education in Missouri schools, while still offering options to parents and students.

 

 

 

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