►
From YouTube: Committee on Education on April 2, 2019
Description
Docket #0199 - Hearing regarding independent education plans in the Boston Public Schools
A
My
colleagues
counsel
Jenny
and
comes
to
Flynn
I'd
like
to
remind
everyone
that
this
is
a
public
hearing
and
is
being
recorded
and
will
be
rebroadcast
on
Comcast
8,
our
sen
82
and
verizon
1964
it'll
also
be
streamed
online.
I
ask
that
you,
please
silence
your
devices
and
cell
phones.
If
you
wish
to
publicly
testify,
please
sign
in
at
the
front
door,
if
you
don't
sign
in,
they
will
not
be
able
to
call
on
you
for
public
testimony.
A
This
hearing
is
on
docket
zero,
one,
nine
nine
regarding
IEP
s
in
the
Boston
Public
Schools
it
I
do
want
to
clarify
that
this
hearing
is
about
individualized
education
plans,
not
independent
education
plans,
as
it
was
a
typo
on
one
of
our
documents.
I
apologize
for
the
mistake
that
I
made
in
some
of
the
language
on
our
original
hearing
order.
An
individual
education
plan
identifies
the
needs,
goals
and
services
for
a
student.
It
is
often
an
intimidating
and
demanding
process
that
students
and
families
have
to
go
through.
A
There
are
approximately
more
than
11,000
students
in
the
Boston
Public
Schools
that
have
a
disability
and
require
specific
services
based
on
their
needs
and
bps
has
an
obligation
to
provide
proper
transportation,
a
school
nurse
counseling,
a
plan
for
transition
and
more.
It
is
critical
that
we
continue
breaking
down
barriers
for
our
students
to
achieve
success,
not
create
more
I,
often
hear
and
feel
that
this
that
the
IEP
process
from
start
to
finish
to
eventual
graduation
can
be
very
difficult
for
many
of
our
students
and
families
of
bps.
A
We
need
to
make
sure
that
this
service
is
accessible
in
assisting
students,
while
they're
in
our
schools.
My
office
and
I
I
continue
to
receive
emails
and
phone
calls
regarding
issues
with
I,
EPS
and
specially
them
in
general,
and
how
it
is
negatively
affecting
our
student's
ability
to
learn
and
succeed.
I've
also,
unfortunately,
received
calls
this
year.
Families
who
have
left
the
Boston
Public
Schools,
because
they
felt
they
weren't
getting
the
services
that
they
felt
necessary
for
their
children
to
achieve
Mbps
it.
They
also
leave,
unfortunately,
its
sometimes
great
expense
to
the
district
as
well.
A
We
should
be
able
to
take
care
of
and
teach
our
kids
here
in
Boston.
I
also
want
to
note
that
this
conversation
came
up
a
number
of
times
over
the
fall
as
I
held
meetings
across
the
city.
Regarding
issues
regarding
education
in
our
city,
it
was
more
or
less
the
catalyst,
as
well
as
some
of
the
challenges
that
our
families
reached
out
to
at
the
beginning
of
the
year,
to
have
tonight's
hearing.
A
I
look
forward
to
hearing
from
all
of
our
panels
and
look
forward
to
I
think
a
very
what
will
be
a
thoughtful
and
thorough
presentation
from
the
Boston
Public
Schools,
and
hope
that
we
can
continue
working
together
to
make
sure
that
our
kids
receive
services
that
they
need
and,
above
and
beyond
what
they
need
and
get
the
services
that
they
want.
I
think
my
colleagues
for
being
here
and
would
like
to
offer
them
an
opportunity
to
give
an
opening
statement.
Counsel,
Jeanne
thank.
B
You
so
much
madam
chair
good
evening.
Everyone
I'm
very
pleased
for
the
opportunity
to
be
able
to
have
this
very
important
discussion,
not
only
as
a
Boston
city
councilor,
not
only
as
the
vice
chair
of
education,
but
as
someone
who
cares
deeply
about
this
issue,
I
want
to
first
give
a
shout
out
to
some
former
colleagues
who
are
in
the
room,
catherine
and
jeanine
are
here.
I
work
with
both
of
them
during
my
time
at
mass
advocates
for
children.
B
As
many
folks
know,
mass
advocates
for
children
is
a
child
advocacy
organization
with
a
special
mission
on
making
sure
that
all
children
throughout
the
commonwealth
get
this.
The
education
that
they
need
and
for
students
with
disabilities,
certainly
fighting
to
make
sure
that
they
are
getting
the
services
that
they
need
and
that
parents
understand
their
rights
under
the
law.
So
I'm
grateful
for
the
advocacy
of
mac
and
the
work
that
you
continue
to
do.
B
I
was
particularly
grateful
to
be
able
to
turn
to
mac
for
my
own
needs
when
my
grandson
needed
an
IEP
and
to
have
the
benefit
of
working
for
an
organization
that
does
amazing
work,
but
also
to
have
the
benefit
of
advocates
and
attorneys
at
my
disposal.
What
I
do
understand,
though,
from
that
process,
as
many
parents
don't
have
that
same
sort
of
resource.
B
I
was
fortunate
that
I
worked
there
and
I
knew
folks
who
were
deep
in
the
issue
with
special
education,
as
well
as
my
own
advocacy,
around
Boston
Public
Schools,
but
the
majority
of
our
parents.
When
we
talk
about
20%
of
our
students
are
young
people
having
IEP
s,
may
not
have
the
same
sort
of
supports
and
may
not
understand
how
the
special
education
laws
work.
What
the
policies
are
here
in
the
district
and
may
not
have
someone
who
is
fighting
for
them.
B
So
it's
important
to
make
sure
that
any
child
who
has
an
IEP
are
getting
the
supports
and
the
services
that
they
need.
I
know
from
personal
experience
and
from
what
I
hear
from
constituents
that
that
still
is
not
the
case
that
there
are
many
families
who
are
have
to
fight
it's
a
long
fight,
it's
a
hard
fight
and
then
they're
still
not
getting
the
supports
and
services
that
their
children
need,
and
so
that
is
very
problematic.
B
I'm
also
coming
at
this
through
the
lens
of
equity
and
making
sure
that
all
of
our
students
with
disabilities,
but
all
of
our
young
people
are
being
served
well.
I
know
that
there's
a
large
population
of
students
with
disabilities
who
are
also
English
language,
learners,
I
think
if
we
peel
back,
the
onion
will
see
that
there
are
large
numbers
that
our
students
of
color
and
making
sure
that
that
that
their
needs
are
being
met.
B
And
my
my
concern
is
that
for
many
students
of
color,
particularly
our
black
and
brown
boys,
that
their
their
needs
are
not
being
met,
they
are
less
likely
to
be
in
inclusive
settings
with
their
peers
and
more
likely
to
be
in
substantial,
separate
programs
which
is
problematic,
and
so
I
want
to
understand
more.
What
we're
doing
to
address
that
concern
and
I
I
will
save
the
rest
of
my
comments
for
when
I
ask
questions
just
wanted
to
open
up,
and,
and
thank
you
for
your
leadership
and
thank
the
panel
for
being
here.
Thank.
A
C
You,
madam
chair,
and
thank
you
for
your
leadership
on
this
important
issue
and
I
just
want
to
echo
what
councilor
Janey
talked
about
is
making
sure
that
our
children,
our
students
with
special
needs,
have
access
under
under
the
law,
have
access
to
every
program
that
they're
entitled
to
in
you
know
as
we
approach
but
budget
season
on
the
Boston
City
Council.
That's
the
job
of
the
council
is
to
advocate
for
those
people
and
those
children
that
desperately
need
our
help
and
that's
what
I
intend
to
do
on
the
City.
C
Council
I
also
come
from
this,
as
as
a
as
an
eptas,
a
chol,
my
sister's
boy,
his
special
needs
and
he's
having
a
difficult
time
not
in
Boston
but
I,
know
the
struggles
of
families
with
a
child
with
special
needs.
D
You,
madam
chair
and
good
evening,
ladies
and
gentlemen,
it's
great
to
be
with
all
of
you,
particularly
those
in
the
audience
and
the
parents
looking
forward
to
hear
the
story
from
families.
So
I
will
be
brief.
Suffice
it
to
say
I
know
we're
all
committed
to
doing
everything
we
can
to
have
a
streamlined
and
effective
a
process
for
those
students
who
require
special
education.
D
I
know
we
have
made
some
improvements
in
the
IEP
process,
but
there's
still
a
lot
of
more
improvements
that
can
be
taken
so
I'm,
particularly
looking
forward
to
finding
out
ways
that
we
can
improve
family
engagement,
management
of
the
IEP
s
and
a
particular
focus
not
only
on
bps,
but
also
on
private
parochial
schools
that
students
that
we're
serving
who
aren't
in
the
traditional
BPS
framework,
as
well
as
efforts
and
I
know.
This
is
something
the
superintendent
shares.
D
We
all
share
to
really
limit
the
out
of
district
placement
of
our
students
for
a
whole
host
of
reasons,
not
the
least
of
which
is.
We
should
need
to
be
doing
everything
to
make
sure
that
bps
can
support
the
whole
child,
no
matter
what
his
or
her
circumstances
may
be.
So
looking
forward
to
this
continued
good
work,
thank
you
for
calling
this
man
thank.
A
E
Good
evening,
chair,
asabi,
George,
Vice,
Chair,
Janey
and
councillors,
we
appreciate
you
having
us
here
today
to
discuss
some
specifics
areas
related
to
special
education
for
our
students.
I
am
Charles
grandson,
chief
academic
officer
and
in
that
role,
I
oversee
the
office
of
academics,
professional
learning,
opportunity,
gaps,
English
learners,
sell
well,
which
presented
yesterday
and
the
office
of
special
education
and
the
Boston
Public
Schools
21%
of
our
54,000
students
have
been
identified
as
needing
special
education
supports.
E
We
provide
supports
for
these
students
in
a
variety
of
settings,
including
general
education,
classrooms,
inclusion,
classrooms,
sub
separate
classrooms
and
private
placements.
What
services
we
provide
in
what
setting
students
receive?
The
man
is
determined
through
a
team
process
that
carefully
considers
the
individual
educational
needs
of
students.
Over
the
last
few
years,
under
Cindy
Nelson's
leadership,
we
have
focused
on
creating
more
inclusive
opportunities
and
options
for
transition
for
our
students.
E
She
has
created
inclusion,
support
teams
that
provide
direct
support
and
coaching
in
classrooms,
where
teachers
need
additional
training
to
support
the
behavioral
and
learning
needs
of
their
students
and
in
recognizing
that
all
of
our
students
need
strong
foundational
support.
She
has
provided
implementation
of
foundations
in
lower
grades
across
the
district.
She
has
moved
our
IP
system
into
21st
century
with
easy
IP
that
consolidates
students
and
evaluation
information
and
facilitates
better
communication
with
families.
Inclusion
allows
parents
to
receive
a
draft
IEP
at
the
end
of
their
meeting.
I
should
say
the
EZ
IEP
allows
that.
E
However,
we
still
have
work
to
do.
We
see
persistent
achievement
and
opportunity
gaps
for
students
with
disabilities.
To
confront
this,
we
have
been
assessing
the
state
of
curriculum
in
sub
separate
classrooms,
strategizing
how
to
support
the
teaching
and
learning
and
sub
separate
classrooms,
including
and
providing
culturally
and
linguistically
sustaining
practices.
F
F
Like
to
start
our
prize
presentations
off
with
our
special
education
vision
statement,
this
is
what
we've
been
working
for.
The
last
four
years,
where
we
want
for
all
of
our
students,
have
to
have
equitable
opportunities
to
engage
in
innovative
high
quality
instruction
in
the
least
restrictive
environment,
empowering
each
youth
to
achieve
at
high
levels
leading
to
post-secondary
success.
This
is
what
drives
the
work
that
we
were
doing
every
single
day
in
order
to
also
continue
to
build
inclusive
practices
across
the
system.
F
The
second
priority
is
the
quality
of
instructional,
supports
and
services
happening
across
all
of
our
settings,
from
inclusion
to
our
public
days
that
we
have
within
Boston
Public,
Schools
students,
family
and
community
engagement,
in
increasing
our
visibility
and
our
access
to
students,
family
and
the
students,
families
and
the
community.
Is
there
a
hugely
important
partner,
as
you'll
see
later
on?
F
F
About
12,000
15
students,
when
the
snapshot
was
taken
of
students
with
disabilities,
our
yells
with
disabilities
are
at
4050
one
twinsun
share.
21%
of
our
student
of
the
district
are
students
with
disabilities
and
then
from
there
one
third
of
the
21%
are
students
with
disabilities
that
are
also
ELLs.
In
addition,
the
graphs
are
showing
you,
students
with
disabilities
and
ELL
students
with
disabilities
by
educational
environment,
going
from
full
inclusion
to
out
of
district.
G
So
we
thought
we'd
start
our
framing
of
individualized
education
programs
with
where
they
come
from,
which
is
prescribed
in
law.
Both
state
and
federal
Massachusetts
has
always
been
in
progressive
in
education
and
particular
for
students
with
disabilities,
where,
in
fact,
the
idea
is
based
largely
on
our
Massachusetts
special
education
law.
So
we
wanted
to
begin
our
framing
there
and
part
of
the
highlight
that
comes
from
both
the
IDE
and
our
regulations
is
family
involvement
as
a
cornerstone
of
these
pieces
of
legislation.
F
Bps
continues
to
build
ways
to
support
families
to
working
closely
with
the
Boston
sped
pack
and
the
Federation
for
children
special
needs.
We
also,
we
also
have
a
dedicated
parent
liaison
and,
through
that,
we've
developed
trainings
for
families,
as
well
as
provided
support
to
parents
with
substantive
needs
and
that,
as
well
as
to
understand
and
support
the
process,
the
IEP
process.
F
G
Next
slide
summarizes
the
process
for
special
education,
where
we
begin
with
a
concern
regarding
a
student
who
has
done
referred
to
the
student
support
team,
assuming
this
as
a
student
coming
up
through
the
school-based
concern
and
we
decide
and
appropriate
interventions
based
on
that
concern.
As
a
department,
we've
been
heavily
emphasizing
the
need
to
provide
appropriate
supports
and
interventions
prior
to
referring
a
student
for
evaluation
to
determine
a
disability
and
the
need
for
special
education.
The
reason
for
this
is
to
ensure
that
the
student
is
receiving
quality
instruction
and
supports
in
the
general
education
classroom.
G
We
have
also
seen
a
slight
reduction
in
referrals
this
school
year
as
a
result
of
this
emphasis.
If
interventions
are
not
successful
and
the
disability
is
truly
suspected,
we
moved
to
the
consent
phase
where
a
parent
is
contacted
by
the
special
education
coordinator
and
again
in
a
school-based
referral
process.
The
evaluation
is
explained
and
families
to
families
and
consent
for
the
evaluations
that
we
are
seeking
once
that
consent
is
received,
we
have
30
school
days
to
conduct
the
evaluations.
G
F
When
I
clarify
here
at
this
stage
as
well,
that
the
presence
of
a
disability
isn't
always
qualify
for
special
education
services,
that
this
is
what
the
process
is
actually
determining
is
there
might
be
a
disability
present
that
does
not
always
lead
to
and
I
AP
with
services.
For
the
student
there
has
to
be
data
that
show
that
a
student
is
not
able
to
access
the
general
education
curriculum
without
vacation
and.
G
Those
decisions
about
eligibility,
accommodations
and
services
are
made
by
an
IEP
team,
and
that
is
made
up
of
the
students,
parents,
anyone
the
parent,
chooses
to
invite
a
general
education
teacher,
a
special
education
teacher
representative
of
the
district
which
in
Boston,
is
our
coordinators
of
special
education,
any
others
and
the
students,
our
coordinators
of
special
education.
We
have
a
few
of
us
with
us
today,
our
school-based
individuals
who
coordinate
the
IEP
process.
G
We
have
105
total
full
time
employees
who
are
school-based
and
supervised
by
principals,
with
assistance
from
an
assistant
director
in
the
special
education
department.
They
implement
the
district
responsibilities
around
IEP
development
and
implementation
they're.
Also
the
parents
main
point
of
contact
for
the
entire
special
education
process.
A
coordinator
can
a
student
excuse
me
can
have
a
minimum
of
two
evaluations.
Most
students
would
have
three
and
some
can
have
as
many
as
eight
evaluations
depending
on
their
needs.
G
This
slide
highlights
the
school
districts
responsibilities.
Regarding
the
IEP
process,
we
discussed,
and
it's
just
comparing
and
demonstrating
where,
in
the
regulations
these
responsibilities
come
from.
I
won't
go
into
them
in
too
much
detail
already.
If
most
of
them
were
the
exception
of
the
last
bullet,
which
is
if
an
IEP
has
been
sorry.
Excuse
me
if
a
parent
is
dissatisfied
with
evaluations
provided
by
Boston,
we
also
have
an
obligation
to
offer
independent
educational
evaluations
at
no
cost
to
parent.
G
Ip's
are
written
for
a
12-month
period
and
they
begin
based
upon
when
the
meeting
is
held.
Meetings
are
held
throughout
the
school
year.
A
parents
or
families
responsibilities
are
meant
to
be
lighter
a
consent.
Obviously,
for
the
evaluation
to
begin
is
of
a
most
important
importance,
they
would
attend
the
team
meeting
providing
remote
options.
Interpretation
must
provide
as
needed.
G
Considering
these
topics,
there
is
no
doubt
that
meetings
are
tense
and
can
be
stressful
when
you
are
reviewing
your
child's
evaluation
results
and
focusing
on
areas
of
weakness
and
whether
or
not
they
constitute
a
disability.
We
aim
to
focus
staff
during
trainings
on
reminders
about
this
tension
and
have
them
attempt
to
support
parents
and
their
understanding
of
the
jargon
that
is
sometimes
used
being
meaningful
in
their
presentation
and
not
just
reading
a
report
and
being
engaged
team
members.
When
discussing
all
parts
of
required
IEP
meetings,
those
parts
include
listening
actively
to
a
parent's
concerns.
G
Reviewing
the
data
that
was
collected
through
interventions
prior
to
referral,
classwork
state
assessments.
Reviewing
evaluation
of
the
the
evaluation
data
that
was
obtained
through
those
evaluations,
then
determining
whether
or
not
the
student
is
eligible
for
special
education
determining
what,
if
any
services
are
necessary,
accommodations
goals.
And
finally,
if
placement
is
necessary
for
a
student
focusing
on
the
least
restrictive
environment.
G
We
support
the
IEP
process
with
a
heavy
concentration
on
heavy
training
for
coordinators.
They
participate
in
65
hours
of
mandatory
professional
development
each
year
as
compared
to
a
teacher
with
required
18
hours
per
year.
Professional
development
also
always
emphasizes
facilitating
family
understanding
of
disability
and
the
special
education
process.
Topics
have
included
understanding
each
disability
category,
as
outlined
by
the
Massachusetts
regulations,
conducting
efficient
and
appropriate
meetings
culturally
and
linguistically
sustaining
practices
and,
of
course,
IDI
plan,
which
is
our
IP
management
system.
Training.
G
In
IEP
management
in
fiscal
year,
16
account
executive
council
approved
a
budget
investment
for
Boston
in
a
new
IEP
management
system.
Moving
away
from
our
bps
homegrown
system,
we
completed
the
procurement
process
in
March
of
2017
and
migrated
data
over
the
summer
of
2017.
The
new
system
called
IDI
plan,
manages
both
IPs
and
504
plans
and
went
live
at
the
start
of
the
school
year
in
September
2017,
a
parent
portal
which
we
will
discuss
further
went
live
in
June
2018.
The
system
has
allowed
us
to
pull
more
accurate
data
and
maintain
more
records
electronically.
G
Some
of
the
benefits
for
family
is
that
the
IPS
easier
to
read
and
can
contain
more
information
in
students,
strengths
and
key
evaluation,
summary
sections
so
that
a
person
reading
the
IEP
has
more
information
about
the
student.
The
system
manages
uploaded
evaluations
by
school
staff
and
any
a
parent
may
present.
It
has
the
electronic
portal
for
parent
viewing
of
student
documents
but,
more
importantly,
electronic
signature
of
both
IEP
s
and
504.
Another
document
student,
including
consents
these
same
benefits,
apply
to
staff.
G
In
addition,
that
there
is
an
at-a-glance
feature
that
provides
a
summary
of
the
IEP
when
the
entire
document
is
not
needed
for
a
staff
member
to
see
the
online
access
hopefully
allows
for
Less
follow-up
by
staff
on
signatures.
At
times
it
can
take
up
to
two
months
to
obtain
parents,
signature
and
so
with
that
timely
receipt
of
signature
services
can
begin
and
finally,
a
staff
can
run
some
of
the
reports
for
themselves,
which
is
helpful
to
understand
the
needs
of
students
at
schools.
G
Speaking
of
that
data
benefit,
the
next
slide
shows
some
of
the
data
we
have
obtained
from
the
system.
Here.
To
date,
77%
of
IEP
s
presented
have
been
signed
and
57%
of
enrolled
students,
IPS
have
been
presented,
completed
between
September
and
March.
Typically,
we
have
a
high
volume
of
IEP
is
coming
due
in
June
and
may
in
part
due
to
the
spike
in
referrals
that
we'll
discuss
on
the
next
slide.
That
is
consistently
happening
in
March
of
the
school
year.
G
Speaking
of
that
referrals
for
initial
evaluations
in
this
year,
to
date
we
have
2065
students
referred
for
initial
evaluations.
The
current
eligibility
rate
is
74
percent,
so
74
percent
of
those
students
were
found
eligible
for
special
education
and,
as
you
can
see,
there
is
consistently
a
spark
spike
in
March
year
over
year.
The
number
of
those
is
411
379
and
316
respectively,
for
each
of
those
school
year,
16
roof
currents.
F
And
kirara
special
education
classrooms.
Currently
in
bps,
there
are
a
total
of
930
classrooms,
excluding
classrooms
at
the
McKinley
Carter
and
Horace
Mann
School
for
the
Deaf
endeavor
to
help
expand
high-quality
practices
and
classrooms,
while
also
welcoming
feedback
to
continue
to
improve
the
quality
of
programming
across
all
settings.
F
As
the
core
of
our
department's
work
is
to
support,
celebrate
and
increase
opportunities
for
students
with
disabilities,
a
protected
class
we're
also
interested
in
diversity
such
as
race
and
gender
overall,
and
is
consistent
with
the
field
of
Education.
The
majority
of
our
staff
are
female.
We
work
toward
and
look
to
see
an
increase
in
males
on
staff.
In
addition,
forty
percent
of
our
staff
are
people
of
color
and
a
priority
for
the
department
is
to
increase
this
number
to
more
closely
reflect
the
students
and
families
in
the
city.
H
Good
evening,
thank
you
for
having
me
my
name
is
Diane
Campbell
I
work
in
the
strive
office,
which
is
a
team
of
teachers
that
are
on
assignment
throughout
the
city,
to
work
with
students
aged
14
to
22
as
a
transition
from
their
middle
high
school
and
into
post-secondary
education.
So
the
first
slide.
This
is
a
list
of
some
of
the
partners
with
whom
we
work.
Over
the
last
few
years,
under
Miss
Nielsen's
leadership,
we've
been
able
to
increase
the
number
of
partners
with
whom
we
collaborate.
H
We
work
with
Google
indices,
working
triangle,
best
buddy,
especial
impetus
and
so
on.
What
we
are
trying
to
do
is
provide
students
with
internship
and
work
opportunities
so
that
they'll
have
some
in-school
training.
So
when
they
transition
to
an
adult
program,
they
will
have
some
skills
to
increase
their
employability.
H
So
the
strive
team,
we
provide
transition,
consultation
to
schools,
so
we
work
directly
with
high
schools
and
middle
schools.
We
go
into
the
buildings
where
each
assigned
a
cohort
of
buildings.
We
go
in.
We
work
directly
with
teachers
with
kosis
people
to
help
assist
them
with
any
questions
or
concerns
regarding
students,
transition
services,
and
we
also
do
some
direct
service
with
the
students
as
well.
We
collaborate
with
the
the
vendors
make
sure
all
the
transportation
things
like
those
things
are
in
place
for
when
the
kids
are
going
out
to
their
work
sites.
H
H
H
During
the
IEP
process,
every
student
is
required
to
have
a
transition
planning
form
completed,
and
this
is
a
form
that
is
we'll
touch
on
the
instructional,
the
employment
and
the
community
experiences
that
will
assist
the
student
in
reaching
their
vision.
And
then
we
utilize
this
transition
planning
form
and
it
will
inform
the
development
of
goals
for
the
IEP.
A
Thank
you
very
much
is
that
it
for
the
presentation
or
at
the
end
there
I
do
want
to
note.
I
missed
my
opportunity
during
opening
statements,
to
note
that
today
is
World
Autism
day,
although
it's
World,
Autism
Awareness
Month
today
is
very
special
day
and
I
just
want
to
note.
It
you'll
see
many
of
the
presenters
as
well
as
guests
in
the
audience
wearing
their
pin
and
now
I
wish
I'd
get
mine
sitting
in
the
car
I
wish
I
brought
mine
up.
A
I
also
want
to
note
that
this
afternoon
I
was
able
to
participate
in
the
strive
programs,
30th
anniversary
celebration
with
Wentworth
Institute
of
Technology,
and
it
was
just
a
very
special
afternoon
recognizing
some
former
students
who
now
have
been
employees
at
Wentworth.
One
was
30
years
when
I
was
29
years
and
I
think
somebody
else's
26
years.
It
was
just
really
special
to
be
there
and
to
participate
in
that.
So
my
questions
to
this
presentation
again,
thank
you
all
for
a
very
thoughtful
and
I
think
detailed
presentation.
A
F
So
the
population
for
14
to
17
are
usually
students
that
might
more
often
be
maybe
college
bound
a
post-secondary
school
bound,
so
their
transition
services
would
Center
more
around.
Maybe
college
applications
or
work
work
after
school
work
experience
more
than
it
would
be.
The
need
for
high
level
of
hands-on
training
during
the
work
experience,
and
so
those
services
and
the
transition
services
around
her
14
17
year
olds
were
definitely
working
on
and
have
been.
Philosophy
is
to
increase,
for
students
have
more
opportunities
for
transition
services
at
that
each
level.
F
Our
students
that
are
eighteen
to
twenty-two
and
again
dining
can
speak
very
well
to
this.
Isn't
what
she's
been
doing
for
the
other
strive
has
been
doing
for
a
very
long
time.
The
eighteen
to
twenty-two
old
students
usually
have
a
higher
level
of
need,
and
a
more
so,
your
disability,
their
transition
services,
would
usually
Center
on
more
around
adult
living
skills,
as
well
as
on-the-job,
training,
vocational
skills
and
moving
people's
closer
as
for
a
far
along
as
they
possibly
can
to
independent
living
is
what
I
usually
focus
on
eighteen
to
twenty-two.
So.
H
The
fourteen
to
eighteen
year
olds
in
middle
schools
in
the
beginning
of
high
school,
we
try
to
focus
on
the
students
developing
the
vision
working
with
the
teachers
in
collaboration
to
bring
some
transition
curriculum
into
the
schools
as
I
get
through
like
the
beginning
of
high
school
and
working
their
way
through.
We
try
to
provide
them
with
in
school
vocational
opportunities,
so
they
will
set
up
a
number
of
different
work
opportunities
within
the
building
to
kind
of
get
them
started,
get
them
used
to
participating
in
a
work
program.
H
You
know
signing
a
time
she
making
sure
they
have
the
stamina
for
work
and
then,
as
they
progress,
we
like
to
move
them
out
into
the
community
with
the
supervision
of
a
teacher
and
then
from
there.
The
next
step
would
be
to
move
them
into
competitive
employment
or
into
a
service
with
meant
out
service
provider
and
how.
A
H
There
are
five
community
connection
facilitators
with
it
that
work
with
the
high
schools,
and
then
we
also
have
three
community
field
coordinators,
one
running
a
disc
center
over
at
english,
two
of
whom
are
at
Wentworth
campus
and
then
Brenda
is
also
a
CC
F
at
the
Wentworth
campus.
So
it's
eight
or
nine
yeah.
We.
H
A
H
What
we
do
is
we
provide
consultation
to
the
teacher,
so
we've
been
doing
a
lot
of
training
of
the
teachers
to
bring
them
into
the
process
so
that
the
high
schools
are
owning
the
responsibility
for
the
students
under
their
care.
We
were
also
doing
some
work
with
individual
students
as
far
as
job
development
and
those
kinds
of
things,
we're
working
on
referral
process,
assisting
the
families
and
doing
referrals
to
adult
service
providers,
whether
it
be
the
Department
of
Developmental,
Services
or
mass
rehab,
and
as
well
as
the
others.
A
Like
a
lot
for
nine
teachers
back
to
the
presentation,
I
sort
of
made
notes,
as
we
went
along
on
page
four,
there,
its
students
with
disabilities,
it's
the
graph
identifying
out
of
district
public
day
substantially
separate.
Can
you
just
tell
us
what
each
of
those
mean
out
of
district
public
day
sure.
F
The
public
day,
schools
are
account
for
students
that
are
still
within
Boston
Public
Schools
they're,
soon
as
they're
attending
the
McKinley
school
Horace,
Mann
School
for
the
Deaf
and
the
Carter
School,
and
it's
when
it
says
out
of
district.
That
means
that
they
are
out
of
district
they're,
not
in
boxes
they're.
F
F
F
A
F
There
were
programs
that
were
there,
that
we
were
working
very
closely
with
a
family,
what
the
families
to
make
sure
that
they
understand
what
the
transition
means,
if
they,
if
they
want
we're,
scheduling
right
now,
visits
to
the
school,
so
the
families
and
students
can
visit
the
school
or
the
course
of
the
spring
to
transition
on
to
where
they're
going
next.
So,
yes,.
B
F
I
I
F
So
the
model
is
that
we're
moving
for
a
from
the
strata
people,
doing
all
the
direct
services
to
the
students
and
then
also,
but
also
to
the
point
that
they
made
about
training
the
schools
as
transition
services
aren't
and
then
you
slow
down.
Please
sorry,
they're,
not
something
that
land
into
the
school
they
have
to
be
throughout
the
day.
So
the
training
is
happenings
that
teachers
are
taking.
Ownership
is
an
referred
in
the
schools
to
be
doing
transition
services
all
day
long
rather
than
having
someone
come
in
to
do
what
referral
or
what
I'm.
B
B
So
I'd
love
to
kind
of
come
back
to
understand
more
and
then
the
reason
I
ask
is
because
an
you
know.
Perhaps
this
is
a
wonderful
program,
love
the
opportunity
to
come,
see
it,
but
you
know
the
the
feedback
that
we
get
from
constituents
who
call
and
certainly
from
people
in
the
advocacy
community
who
are
in
this
they're
using
you
know,
phrases
like
we're
housing,
our
students
and
when
you
have
such
large
numbers
of
young
people
who
may
not
have
gotten
what
they
need
through
bps
coming.
F
B
B
One
thing
that
I'm
concerned
about
is
that
we,
those
students,
are
not
getting
their
services
if
they
are
students
with
disabilities
are
not
getting
their
services
right
away.
That
they're
kind
of
in
this
holding
pattern.
What
what
is
that
is
that
I
mean
they?
They
have
an
IEP
they're
known
to
the
district,
having
had
an
IEP
when
they
were
here
before
they
go
to
a
charter
school,
no
surprise
it
doesn't
work
out.
They
come
back.
How
do
we
get
them?
The
services
that
they
need
in
a
seamless
way
where
there's
not
an
interruption
so.
F
F
How
do
we
address
it
that
there
is
an
interruption
service?
I'm,
not
I,
would
love
to
follow
up
more
and
learn
about
that,
because
the
system
that
we
have
right
now
generally
families
are
coming
with
the
IPS
in
hand
when
they
register
back
in
bps
or
if
we
do
see
that
there's
been
an
IEP
within
the
last
two
years
will
revert
to
that
IEP
and
ask
the
parent
if
they
want
to
use
that
piece
of
that
and.
F
And
they
get
a
scientist
schools
based
on
the
level
of
need
they
have
so,
if
they're,
a
student
with
resource
level,
meter
partial
inclusion
as
we
talked
about,
they
would
go
through
the
Welcome
Center
for
enrollment.
They
choose
that
way
and
if
their
IEP
comes
with
substantially
separate
services
that
are
needed,
then
we
as
we
work
with
them
on
the
schools
that
have
those
programs
available.
B
So,
if
student,
if
parents
are
calling
our
offices
saying
that
they're
not
getting
the
services
that
they
need
right
away,
do
I
refer
them
back
to
you
like
what
guess?
What
so,
because
that
what
I'm
hearing
is
that
there
is
this
interruption
that
they're
not
getting
the
services
right
away,
that
this
is
break
okay,.
B
Want
to
come
back
to
slide
four
I
see
so
on
slide
four,
and
thank
you
for
the
definitions
for
the
legend
there.
This
is
the
slide
that
has
the
breakdown
of
the
students
with
disabilities
in
the
district
and
I
can
see
the
breakdown
based
on
program
type,
but
I'm
interested
in
you
breaking
this
down
by
race,
gender
language
of
the
students.
So
let's
just
look
at
the
fifth,
the
full
inclusion.
B
If
we
look
at
the
blue
bars
and-
and
it's
important
to
note,
while
we
have
full
inclusion
classrooms
available,
it's
important
to
make
sure
that
we're
doing
inclusion
right
that
we
are
not
dumping.
Children
into
general
education
without
the
supports
and
I
would
argue
that
they
need
a
full-time,
general,
ed
and
a
full-time
special
ed
teacher
in
the
classroom,
and
not
just
not
just
you
know,
power
professionals
who
or
a
teacher
who
has
three
certifications.
So
we've
got
to
make
sure
that
they
are
getting
the
actual
supports
that
they
need.
B
So
that's
number
one
and
I
know
word
and
we're
not
there,
because
we're
asking
teachers
to
get
multiple
certifications
rather
than
having
the
two
teachers.
But
let's
look
at
that
bar
the
the
blue
bar
that
says
full
inclusion.
If
we
break
that
student
population
down
and
I'd
like
it
for
all
of
them,
what
are
we
looking
at
in
terms
of
race,
gender
and
ethnicity,
so.
F
B
So
I
will
so
I've
said
this
before
in
my
capacity
as
an
advocate
before
joining
the
City,
Council
and
I
will
say
it
again
here
for
everything.
If
we
are
serious
about
closing
the
opportunity
and
achievement
gap,
we
need
to
have
this
information
clearly
markdown
for
everything.
So
what
anecdotally
I
know
is
that
that
the
sub
separate
children
are
more
likely
to
be
black
and
brown
and
full
inclusion.
B
Children
may
not
be,
and
so
I
think
it's
important
to
have
that
in
front
of
us
at
all
times
to
make
sure
that
we're
doing
everything
to
ensure
that
all
children
have
the
least
restrictive
settings
and
have
access
to
full
inclusion,
real,
full
inclusion,
with
the
actual
supports
and
and
staffing
that
we
need
to
make
sure
that
it's
that
it's
done
right.
So
I
am
very
much
interested
in
understanding
for
each
of
these
program
areas.
B
What
the
breakdown
is
by
race,
by
gender
and
by
ethnicities,
language
and
language
and
language
is
very
important
as
well,
and
we
already
know
that
a
third
of
the
students
with
disabilities
speak
a
language
other
than
English
at
home,
so
just
important
to
understand
which
language
groups
were
talking
about
and
how
they're
being
supported.
I
will
save
the
rest
of
my
comments
and
questions
for
the
next
round.
I
see
my
colleague
waiting
patiently
Thank.
D
Chair
I,
don't
know
the
slide
number,
but
I
want
to
go
back
to
the
slide.
That
says
IEP
process
data
as
towards
the
end
of
the
presentation.
Well,
we're
coming
up
on
that.
So
this
reads:
for
those
who
may
not
have
a
copy
of
it.
6821
hi
EPS
have
been
written
between
September,
2018
and
March
of
2019
accounting
for
57%
of
currently
enrolled
students
with
disabilities.
So
that
means
43%
haven't
been,
haven't
been
written
correct.
D
J
G
D
G
So
there
are
a
number
of
meetings
that
may
not
happen
for
various
reasons.
There
is
a
commander
and
compliance
meet
regularly
with
the
assistant
directors,
as
well
as
coordinators
directly
to
find
out.
You
know
the
status
of
their
compliance
on
what's
going
on
with
their
students,
making
sure
that
they
are
receiving
their
services
and
their
IEP
is
in
a
timely
manner.
At
times
we
have
found
there
are
certain
buckets
of
issues
that
come
up
for
students
that
results
in
delay
is
some
of
them
may
be
illnesses,
homelessness,
caregiver
changes,
a
variety
of
children.
G
D
D
G
Did
a
data
analysis,
and
sometimes
it
takes
about
two
months
just
to
get
that
to
a
family.
We
make
multiple
attempts,
and
now
we
have
a
parent
portal
to
enable
that
to
be
a
little
bit
easier
there
we
have
staff
who
go
door-to-door
honestly
to
get
signatures
and
try
to
catch
a
parent
when
they're
coming
in
for
a
meeting
or
a
parent-teacher
conference,
but
sometimes
it
just
isn't.
D
D
Walk
us
very
briefly,
because
I
really
appreciate
the
chairs,
keeping
us
to
a
brief
time
period,
because
I
want
to
hear
more
from
parents,
but
walk
us
briefly
through
the
process.
If
I
have
a
child
who's
at
a
Catholic
school
because
didn't
receive
a
placement
that
I
wanted
but
requires
some
special
services.
How
do
I
apply
for
that
as
a
parent?
And
what
does
it
look
like?
You
know
from
process
preview.
G
Welcome
Center
and
say
I'd
like
to
have
my
student
evaluated
for
special
education.
We
would
assign
them
a
student,
ID
number
assign
them
to
a
school
for
evaluation
contact
that
school
and
let
them
know
that
the
student
has
been
enrolled
for
this
purpose
and
then
that
school
would
send
out
a
consent.
This
year
also
we
consent
it.
We
conducted
five
for
child,
find
screenings
for
children
6
to
21,
who
are
exclusively
in
private
and
parochial
schools.
We
sent
out
notice
for
that
so
that
they
could
come
to
a
screening.
G
D
You
furnish
us
the
breakdown
of
kids
in
bps
and
outside
within
the
city,
and
also
what
the
percentages
that
have
completed
IEP
s.
My
time
is
nearly
up,
but
I
want
to
ask
Carolyn
Kane
someone
who
I
think
has
done
incredible
work
for
all
students
for
many
many
years.
Certainly
my
time
on
this
body
as
the
process
gotten
better
and
your
time
is
both
apparent
as
an
advocate,
as
attorney
and
mr.
census
as
well
feel
free
to
jump
in
here.
Just
what
from-from
sped
pack,
how
are
we
doing?
What
could
we
be
doing
better?
Well,.
L
First
of
all,
Thank
You
constable
Maui
for
the
very
kind
words
and
thank
you,
chairperson
and
it's
Abby
George,
and
vice
chairperson
Kim
Janey,
for
the
opportunity
to
be
here
this
evening.
I
should
introduce
myself
because
some
people
don't
know
who
I
am
my
name
is
Carolyn.
Kane
I
am
first
and
foremost
the
mother
of
a
19
year
old,
with
significant
disabilities
in
the
Boston
Public
Schools
I
have
had
the
pleasure
and
honor,
and
sometimes
the
doom
of
being
the
Boston's
bed-pack
chair,
which
is
a
volunteer
position
for
the
last
10
years.
L
During
that
time,
frame,
I
have
worked
with
four
different
superintendents
and
four
different
special
education
directors.
I
will
tell
you
that
in
doing
some
housecleaning
this
weekend
spring
is
here.
I
came
across
some
documents
dated
2013
and
I
will
tell
you
that
it
was
very
enlightening
in
looking
at
those
documents,
because
things
that
we
were
asking
the
district
for
in
2013
are
the
same
things
that
we're
asking
the
district
for
in
2019.
L
The
reason
I
say
that
is
that
special
education,
students
and
I'm
sure
I
ll
has
similar
concerns
have
not
been
given
the
priority
that
they
need
to
be
given
in
bps
and
without
appropriate
funding.
That
will
always
be
the
case,
so
this
is
not
a
special
education
issue.
This
is
a
district
issue.
Has
the
process
gotten
better?
Yes,
it
has.
L
L
As
sped
pack
nobody's
perfect,
we
have
a
lot
more
work
to
do,
but
what
I've
seen
is
for
Cindy
Nelson
to
grow
a
cohesive
team
that
is
responsive
to
parents,
the
issue
about
transition
services-
that
is
the
only
investment
during
the
entire
time.
I,
have
been
sped,
packed
chair,
again
10
years
of
1
million
dollars
for
4,500
students,
which
is
about
two
hundred
and
twenty-two
dollars
per
student.
L
Now,
to
expect
the
district
to
be
able
to
provide
things
like
travel,
training,
pre-employment
skills,
employment
opportunities,
community
experiences
and
daily
living
skills
from
more
significantly
impacted
students
that
is
just
not
possible.
So
what
we're
trying
to
do
each
year
is
do
more
with
less
and
the
number
of
students
with
special
needs
is
not
going
down.
L
We
have
children
leaving
for
charter
schools,
private
schools,
exam
schools,
schools
that
have
specific
entrance
requirements
that
are
beyond
the
reach
of
students
with
special
needs,
and
each
year
we
have
been
asked
to
cut
something
from
the
special
education
budget.
The
district's
budget
is
around
1.2
billion
dollars.
Special
education
gets
about
a
hundred
million
dollars.
We
are
20%
of
the
population
in
BPS
and
we
don't
get
20%
of
the
district's
budget.
So
again,
this
is
not
a
special
education
issue.
It's
a
district
issue.
L
It's
one
about
the
district
itself,
owning
responsibility
for
all
students
in
bps,
for
all
of
the
adults
working
from
the
school
principals
to
the
teachers,
to
the
therapists,
recognizing
that
the
sped
students
are
not
the
responsibility
of
the
special
education
teachers,
the
B
CBA's,
the
ABA
s,
the
related
service
providers.
They
are
the
responsibility
of
everyone
in
bps.
L
D
A
You
councillor
Melanie,
if
we
were
to
turn
in
our
packet
two
pages
past,
there
is
a
grid
on
the
special
ed
classrooms
and
the
number
of
classes
that
are
currently
in
place
for
students
requiring
special
comment,
certain
accommodations
and
it's
930
classrooms
and
it's
broken
down.
Can
we
talk
a
little
bit
about
the
need
of
our
kids
now
I'm
setting
my
own
time
or
I've
got
to
be
true
to
my
own
timer.
Here.
Is
this
for
filling
the
need
of
our
kids,
the
needs
of
our
kids
so.
F
I
think
that
looking
at
where
we
are,
we
have
increased
our
number
of
inclusion
classrooms
a
bit
over
the
last
five
years,
which
has
been
helpful
to
make
sure
that
we
have
students
that
are
getting
educated
within
the
general
education
classroom
of
the
least
restrictive
environment.
First,
as
we
look
at
our
substantially
separate
classrooms,
they
also
do
still
continue
to
grow.
One
area
to
look
at
is
a
BA
based
classrooms
that
number
solty
continues
to
get
higher,
but
five
years
ago,
when
we're
doing
we're
starting
to
project
for
five
years
so
into
about
2014
projecting.
F
Now
there
was
more
of
an
expectation
in
the
population
to
have
leveled
off
with
autism
people
with
autism
or
students
with
autism
that
were
coming
through
starting
at
age.
Three
that
actually
has
not
leveled
off
that
continues
to
increase
with
more
diagnosis,
as
well
as
I
believe
that
the
Omnibus
Act
has
helped
as
well
with
that
we're
a
diagnosis
of
autism
is
required
for
services
to
wrap
around
the
family.
F
What
I
do
believe
that
we
still
have
a
work
to
do,
and
we
are
doing
this
as
an
asset
team
as
well-
is
looking
at
the
quality
of
instruction
happening
in
those
classrooms.
So
I
do
think
that
we
do
have
those
settings
available.
It's
making
sure
that
we
are
holding
ourselves
to
really
high
levels
of
expectation
around
rigor
and
curriculum
in
those
classrooms.
Well,.
A
I
think
counselor
Cheney's
comment
earlier
about
the
inclusion
challenges
is
a
very
real
one
and
as
we
increase
the
number
of
inclusion
seats,
but
we're
not
increasing
the
number
of
professionals
in
those
buildings,
that's
yeah,
that's
gonna
continue
to
be
a
problem.
You're
gonna,
see
that
reflected
in
the
quality
and
the
access
to
quality
that
our
kids
aren't
experiencing.
A
One
thing
that
we
have
heard
is
students
who
have
required
certain
classroom
settings
in
their
IEP,
but
there
aren't
enough
seats
for
those
students.
So
can
we
talk
a
little
bit
about
how
long
kids
are
waiting
to
get
into
a
certain
seat
if
they,
if
a
seated,
isn't
available?
What's
that
timeline,
and
you
know
how?
How
are
we
in
compliance
if
we
have
kids
that
are
assigned
or
in
their
IEP,
it
has
a
certain
prescription
for
services,
but
we're
not
able
to
meet
it?
What
happens?
F
Arises
so
the
problem
has
happened
on
a
case
by
case
basis.
It
also
does
happen
more
often
this
time
of
the
year
when,
at
the
beginning
of
the
school
year,
we
have
classrooms
that
are
opened
that
aren't
full
yet
because
the
nature
of
how
special
works,
all
the
kids,
obviously
kids,
are
going
in
and
out
of
classrooms
or
settings
based
on
their
IEP
team
that
determines
if
there
is
delay
in
moving
a
student
to
a
different
setting.
That
might
be
more
restrictive.
F
This
time
of
year
also
I
just
want
to
note
that
we
do
try
to
find
the
follow.
The
general
education
processes,
while
we're
trying
not
to
move
kids
this
late
in
the
school
year
to
other
schools.
That
is
a
conversation
we
have
individual,
case-by-case
families
that
if
we
are
able
to
put
the
services
into
place
to
the
end
of
the
school
year
and
the
student
and
the
family
feel
like
they
can
finish
out
the
year
in
the
same
placement,
will
do
that
and
then
move
in
for
Sept,
because
it's
more
of
a
natural
transition.
F
A
F
F
What
we
do
in
some
of
the
other
placements,
sometimes
other
children,
are
moving
because
the
placement,
the
placement
process
in
the
special
education
office
happens
very
very
quickly.
Every
day,
like
one
day
see,
might
not
be
either
the
next
day.
There
might
be
three
that
open
up.
In
addition,
there
are
times
that
we
work
with
schools,
principals
and
it's
individual
classrooms
to
see
if
we
can
add
an
extra
extra
support
or
paraprofessional
or
someone
to
the
classroom
to
also
mediate
the
fact
that
they
might
need
it,
they
might
have
an
extra
child
in
there.
Okay,.
A
I
think
that
it's
important,
especially
as
we
as
a
council,
think
ahead
to
the
budget
process
that
we're
about
to
embark
on
that.
We
have
the
appropriate
balance
of
seats
to
meet
the
need
of
our
children
and
if
we
aren't
able
to
meet
the
need
of
our
children,
adjusting
staffing
levels
and
adding
classrooms
or
shifting
classrooms
to
meet
the
needs
of
those
kids.
Because
we
talk
a
lot
about
compliance
and
if
we
aren't
able
to
fulfill
an
IEP,
then
we're
out
of
compliance.
And
that's
that's
a
significant
problem,
not
just
a
moral
and
ethical
problem.
J
L
Special
education
from
early
intervention,
okay,
so
they're
coming
in
when
they
turn
3
years
of
age,
early
intervention
ends
and
their
IEP
is
supposed
to
be
in
place
at
the
time
that
they
turn
3
because
of
the
district's
previous
assignment
process
right,
they
weren't
saving
seats
for
children
coming
in
throughout
the
year
through
special
education,
you
know
being
deemed
eligible
for
special
education.
The
district
has
been
doing
a
much
better
job
of
that
we're
working
with
early
intervention,
looking
at
the
number
of
kids
coming
in
and
then
opening
additional
classrooms.
So
that
doesn't
happen.
L
So
that
was
more
of
an
issue
in
the
past
than
it
is
currently.
Obviously,
the
children
do
get
deemed
eligible
in
the
later
years,
but
more
so
it
happens
at
the
early
ages
in
making
sure
that
we
have
seats
in
those
early
childhood
classrooms,
especially
in
inclusion
classrooms,
because
children
learned
through
play
it
ages.
Three
and
four
is
something
that
we've
been
doing
a
better
job
at,
but
we
need
to
continue
to
improve
by
making
sure
that
special
education
students
are
accounted
for
when
classrooms
are
being
opened
throughout
the
year.
L
A
B
B
So
one
of
the
things
that
I'm
hearing
is
that
parents
agree
to
it
it's
in
ie
P,
and
yet
these
services
are
not
being
provided
for
for
at
least
a
number
of
parents
who
are
reaching
out
to
advocates
in
the
advocacy
community
and
so
I'm
hoping
that
you
can
shed
some
light
on.
Someone
can
shed
some
light
on
what
is
happening.
L
So
my
daughter
first
of
all
gets
a
VA
services
in
the
Boston
Public,
Schools
and
I
will
say
they
have
been
of
the
highest
quality
that
I've
ever
seen
and
I've
worked
with
hundreds
of
families
so
kudos
to
bps
and
their
ABA
team,
particularly
my
daughter's
ABA,
but
with
regard
to
ABA
being
the
executive
director
of
the
autism
Commission
for
the
Commonwealth
of
Massachusetts.
I
can
tell
you
that
we
have
major
work
force
issues,
particularly
in
the
area
of
BC
bas
in
a
DA's.
L
What
happened
was
in
2010
the
arica
law
passed,
which
made
commercial
insurers
responsible
for
medically
necessary
treatment
for
individuals
with
autism.
So
that
meant
that
if
he
had
Blue
Cross
or
you
had
Tufts
or
you
had
someone
else,
you
can
get
a
treatment
plan
approved
by
your
insurer.
And
then
you
have
to
get
somebody
to
be
able
to
provide
those
services.
In
addition
to
that,
in
2014,
the
Commonwealth
passed
the
autism
omnibus
law,
which
made
MassHealth
equally
responsible
for
children
up
to
the
age
of
21,
to
provide
medically
necessary
treatment,
including
ABA
services.
L
So
because
of
those
two
laws,
what
and
the
increase
in
individuals
being
diagnosed
with
autism?
Currently,
it's
you
know
it's
one
in
59,
much
higher
four
times
more
likely
in
boys
and
girls
is
there
aren't
enough
people
to
go
around
so
private
providers
are
struggling.
Insurance
companies
are
struggling
in
school
districts
across
the
state
right.
B
So
the
insurance
issue
and
I
appreciate
the
history
on
the
laws
and
again
I
hate
to
keep.
You
know
singing
the
praises
of
Mac,
but
Mac
was
very
involved
in
fact
responsible
for
the
very
first
special
education
law
in
the
nation,
which
is
right
here
in
Massachusetts
in
large
part
because
of
the
work
of
Mac
as
well
as
these
other
laws.
I.
So
is
this
insurance
issue.
Does
that
explain
why
bps
is
not
following
through
on
providing
ABA
services
for
families
who
have
agreed
to
it
and
it's
they've
and
it's
in
the
IEP
so.
F
L
I
think
it's
an
issue
of.
They
continue
to
hire
more
and
more
ABA
therapists
and
that's
part
of
this
year's
budget
in
the
special
education
department
because,
like
other
related
services,
it's
centrally
funded
by
special
ed.
But
it's
an
issue
of
finding
people
to
fill
those
positions
that
exists
across
the
state
and,
quite
frankly,
across
the
nation.
So
there's
a
so.
I
F
B
What
kind
what's
the
backlog,
then?
What?
What
is
the
the
scale
of
this
problem
if
there,
if
there's
a
work
shortage
in
terms
of
we,
don't
have
the
staffing
to
make
sure
that
our
that
students
who
require
the
service
are
getting
it?
You
know
that
there
are
students
who
need
it.
So
what
is
that
actual
need?
How
many
people
do
we
need
to
hire
to
make
sure
that
every
child
who
deserves
and
requires
ABA
services
are
getting
the
services
that
they
need?
I.
F
B
B
G
There
are
88
rejected
IEP
s
currently,
and
those
can
be
a
number
of
reasons.
It
could
be
rejected
placements
where
the
IP
is
accepted,
but
the
location
of
service
has
been
rejected.
It
could
be
a
rejection
or
an
omission
of
service,
so
I
accept
the
IP
in
part,
but
I'd
like
to
see
something
else.
Do.
B
You
have
an
analysis
of
the
breakdown
of
what
it
all
is
and
are
we
finding
certain
trends
or
problems
like
a
lot
of
rejections
of
this
particular
site
over
another
site
like
what?
What
are
you
able
to
ascertain
from?
If
you
look
at
this
from
a
systemic
standpoint,
I,
don't
know
I
know
you
say
it's
case-by-case,
but
I'm
just
wondering
what
the
data
will
tell
us
if
anything
about
what
this
means,
because
it
is
a
very
high
number.
It's.
B
G
It
could
be
just
not
receiving,
and
so
it
has
to
go.
We
attempt
multiple
attempts
for
it
to
go
in
multiple
different
ways.
There's
the
portal
there's
a
backpack
there's
mailing
home,
so
it
could
be
that
it
address
changes.
Sometimes
we'll
get
IEP
x'
back
because
there's
not
just
change.
We
weren't
aware
of,
as
I
said,
I
do
have
coordinator,
so
we'll
go
to
the
door
and
try
to
get
that
signature,
but
sometimes
parents
are
out
for
certain
amount
of
time
it.
The
reasons
vary
widely,
but
it
doesn't
necessarily
indicate
a
disagreement.
B
Right
and
the
ones
that
are
not
signed,
that
means
that
the
old
IEP
s,
assuming
that
there
was
another
IEP
already
in
place,
will
continue
to
be
valid
and
be
used
in
terms
of
those
services.
Okay,
that's
helpful.
I
just
wanted
to
raise
this
question
on
transportation
because
it's
come
up
at
a
number
of
hearings.
B
Thank
you
for
that
wonderful
timer,
just
that,
obviously,
with
the
transportation
budget,
how
how
expensive
it
is
to
bus
all
of
our
kids,
certainly
with
students
who
are
receiving
door-to-door
even
higher
those
who
are
out
of
districts
even
higher
and
obviously
any
child
who
requires
transportation
door-to-door
or
to
the
corner
or
out
of
district
wherever
it
is,
should
certainly
get
the
services
that
they
deserve
and
are
entitled
to,
but
I'm
wondering
from
a
systems
perspective.
How
often
are
these
conversations
coming
up
in
IE,
peas,
around
door-to-door
and
last
time,
I
think
you
were
here
mr.
B
Grantham,
there
was
a
question
about
this
and
one
of
the
things
that
we
learned
was
there
was
an
effort
to
see
for
older
children
in
particular,
who
you
know
are
having
are
doing
better
around
social
skills
in
navigating
their
space
around
them
that
perhaps
they're
being
transitioned
from
the
door
to
the
corner
like
the
nearest
corner.
So
I'm
just
wondering
how
this
plays
out
in
the
IEP
process,
as
as
discussions
are
happening
every
day
with
families.
So
the.
F
B
And
I
get
that
it
should
be.
The
question
is
from
a
system
standpoint
as
something
that
you
guys
have
to
manage.
Is
it
happening?
How
do
we
know
what's
happening?
What
who
is
agreeing
to
you
know
go
from
the
door
to
the
corner
or
not,
why
you
know
what
are
the
challenges?
What
are
the
barriers
so
I
know
what's
supposed
to
happen
like,
what's
supposed
to
happen,
what
actually
happens?
E
B
E
I
L
On
the
transportation
piece,
I
just
wanted
to
add
that,
with
regard
to
whether
or
not
someone
gets
daughter
to
a
transportation,
I
mean
just
like
you're
supposed
to
be
an
inclusion
for
your
school
day.
That
includes
transportation
to
the
maximum
extent
appropriate,
and
so
the
issue
is
is
that
we
always
had
like
you,
the
big
school
bus
and
we
thought
without
a
monitor
or
the
small
school
bus
with
a
one-to-one.
We
really
do
need
to
do
some
serious
training,
with
a
pair
with
the
monitors
on
the
buses.
L
When
we
have
more
monitors
on
a
bus,
though,
or
the
same
number
of
monitors
as
we
do,
children
we're
doing
something
very
wrong
in
spending
money
needlessly.
If
we
trained
individuals
that
to
be
bus,
monitors
that
understood
how
to
respond
to
issues,
we
could
decrease
the
number
of
monitors
that
are
necessary
and
with
proper
training
we
can
migrate
some
of
those
kids
from
door
to
door
to
the
regular
school
bus.
So
that's
the
bigger
issue
that
we
need
to
be
looking
at
wonderful.
Thank
you.
A
A
A
I
F
We
we
would
not
make
a
student
wait
from
September
to
March
with
that
class
would
open
know
what
the
projections
include
are
the
number
of
seats
within
classrooms
in
the
schools
that
already
exist,
and
these
are
extra
to
what
we
know
is
coming
up
that
we'll
need
to
open.
So
no
one
wait,
there's
no
waiting
period
for
when
we
play
students
in
those
classrooms
they
were
like.
They
were
ready
to
go
with
the
classroom,
size
right.
A
In
September,
but
if
a
child
during
the
school
year
has
a
either
a
new
or
renewed
IEP
that
now
notes
a
new
need,
we're
talking
to
the
families,
we're
asking
them
what
they
like.
But
if
the
family
wants
to
keep
that
child,
where
that
child
is
rich,
I,
think
it's
really
important.
Are
we
adding?
Are
we
looking
to
add
services?
Have
we
ever
added
services
hope.
F
A
We
ever
and
I
ask
this
question
because
it's
been
it's
been
put
to
me
that
we
as
a
district
have
either
changed
IEP
s
or
held
off
on
IEP
s,
so
that
we
aren't
necessarily
out
of
compliance
until
a
child
can
be
an
accurate
or
an
appropriate
setting
for
September.
Do
we
do
that?
Do
we
ever
change
hold
off
or
modify
an
IEP
so
that
we
wouldn't
be
considered
so
out
of
compliance
I.
F
Want
to
be
very
clear
that
the
IEP
team
process
and
the
tenets
of
the
federal
and
state
laws,
that
is
a
team
process
and
there's
not
one
individual,
changing
IEP
s
happening
at
all.
So,
if
there's
a
specific
example,
I
would
like
to
know
what
it
is.
So
we
can
address
it
it's
about.
If
there's
multiple
examples,
that's
fine,
but
very
clearly
in
the
department
that
I
run.
It
is
very
important
to
me
that
the
team
process,
especially
the
family,
is
as
the
most
important
member
of
that
team.
F
A
Their
families,
but
it's
a
moral
and
ethical
obligation
to
our
families,
I,
would
also
recommend-
and
one
of
my
boys
is
on
a
504
I-
can't
access
the
through
the
sis,
okay
and
I.
Think
that
those,
if
we're
going
to
invest,
if
we
have
this
investment
in
technology,
that
it
should
be
linked
to
the
portal
that
parents
might
check
their
grades
pretty
regularly.
I'm
not
happy
with
the
report.
I
just
got
for
my
husband,
but
we
should
be
able
to
access
that
as
well.
A
I
know
it
is
504
says,
but
it
would
be
good
for
it
to
be
to
link
to
sis
to
race
and
and
what
is
what
is
the
training
that
any
of
our
coordinators
are
receiving
the
special
ed
coordinators,
because
I've
yeah?
Someone
has
asked
me
to
ask
the
question,
implying
that
we
have
coordinators
that
aren't,
prepared
or
trained
appropriately
to
manage
team
meetings
with
families
with
students
and
other
educators.
Don't
think,
can
you
talk
a
little
bit
about
that
professional
development?
That
training
that's
required.
G
G
Desert,
if
there
is
certified
in
special
education,
they
should
have
experience
in
special
education.
They
should
have
been
through
this
process.
They
receive
training
as
they
go.
There
isn't
a
separate
training
process
to
become
a
coordinator.
There's
no
separate
licensure
there
for
it
to
become
a
coordinator.
G
We've
invested
next
year
for
mentors
so
that
they
have
the
extra
mentoring
for
the
position,
but
I
meet
with
them.
I
train
the
monthly.
They
have
a
separate
training
from
the
regular
coordinators
in
so
that
it's
more
nuanced,
and
so
that
they're
not
in
front
of
a
hundred
and
five
other
people
learning
as
they
go
and
they're
supported
by
their
assistant
directors
as
well
and.
A
F
What's
also
can
I
just
say
something
about
when
things
seem
like
they're
old
or
they
not
haven't
been
reviewed,
Sara
Lee.
What
have
also
found
coming
through
is.
We
do
have
a
lot
of
transiency,
obviously
in
and
out
of
the
district,
if
it's
charter
or
if
it's
going
to
other
districts
and
living
other
communities
at
times,
students
are
coming
back
in
and
they're
not
bringing
their
IEP
s
from
the
district
they're
coming
from
so
like
I
said
before.
F
A
A
I
think
council
Jeanne
asked
about
analysis
on
the
88,
rejected
IEP
sort
of
what
the
reason
is
for
those
projections
I'm
very
curious
on
that
the
number
of
over
to
do
meetings,
the
average
wait
time
and
any
sort
of
missing
placement,
so
any
kids
that
students
within
the
Boston
Public
Schools
that
have
been
required
to
have
a
certain
placement
as
a
part
of
their
IEP,
but
don't
have
that
placement.
If
we
can,
we
can
take
a
look
at
that
and
then
last
for
the
for
the
purpose
of
time.
A
I'm,
not
I'm,
gonna
ask
the
question
or
sort
of
put
it
out
there
and
we
can
talk
about
it.
Another
time
I'm
just
so
incredibly
impressed
with
the
work
that's
happening
at
strive,
especially
within
their
program
at
Wentworth
I'd
like
to
know
that
that's
being
replicated
in
lots
of
other
places
and
my
understanding
it
is
that
it
is
not
that
there's
a
group
of
students
there
that
really
are
having
access
to
some
high-quality
job
training,
some
career
readiness
skills,
certainly
some
social
skills,
workplace,
good,
developing
good
workplace
habits.
A
J
Can
I
just
comment?
I
only
I
just
want
to
also
introduce
myself.
My
name
is
Diane
LaChance
cos
I've
been
on
I've,
been
the
secretary
of
the
board
of
sped
PAC
for
10
years
now.
My
daughter
just
recently
aged
out
of
Boston
Public
Schools
she's
22,
so
she
just
went
through
the
whole
transition
process
and
I
think
there
are
some
pockets
of
really
good
work
being
done.
You
know
you
address
the
six
teachers
and
I
do
think.
That
is
a
large
issue,
because
I
do
believe.
J
There's
a
lot
of
pressure
on
individual
schools
to
do
a
lot
of
this
work
and
the
IEP
is
supposed
to
be
individualized
as
long
as
the
transition
plan
and
that's
very
difficult
to
do
when
you
have
a
large
cohort
of
students
and
to
take
them
out
to
the
community,
which
is
really
what
transition
is
about,
what
we
think
is
needed
and
what
we
actually
talked
to
dr.
granzin
about
is
resource
mapping.
Boston
is
a
massive
city
with
a
lot
of
opportunities
for
these
students.
We
should
resource
map
what
is
out
there.
J
That
will
be
extremely
helpful
for
the
teachers
in
the
district
to
know.
Rather
than
what
some
of
them
are
doing,
right
now,
which
is
going
out
and
cold
calling
on
a
lot
of
businesses
and
finding
out
if
their
students
are
welcome,
their
assessments
is
key
to
make
it
individualized.
Transition
assessments,
I
think
happen.
Sometimes,
but
parents
need
to
be
in
the
know,
a
lot
of
times
to
ask
for
the
assessment.
J
Another
thing
is
a
job
developer,
someone
who
might
work
hand
in
hand
would
strive
to
develop
some
jobs
for
these
students
that
are
individualized
and
work
with
the
city
of
Boston.
We
have
many
many
new
companies
coming
in
here
and
a
lot
of
times.
We
give
these
job
opportunities
to
students,
but
we're
who
was
at
the
table
advocating
for
our
students
with
disabilities.
J
Maybe
there
should
be
some
type
of
a
job
developer
to
help
create
those
positions
and
give
them
to
the
teachers
in
the
school,
so
they
know
what
is
out
there
and
what
is
available.
And,
lastly,
what
Carolyn
spoke
of
is
a
larger
investment.
I
was
here
in
2013,
also
with
Carolyn,
advocating
for
more
funding
we're
level
funded
still
to
this
day.
Six
years
later,
really
unfair
to
the
students
who
deserve
more
and
I
can
tell
you
right
now.
J
J
We
have
been
working
with
assist
with
the
district
and
they
are
now
looking
at
different
curriculums
to
work
with
students
with
disabilities,
who
are
more
vulnerable,
but
what
really
is
needed
is
a
specialized
teacher
to
actually
work
with
the
specific
schools
on
this
curriculum.
So
right
now
that
doesn't
exist
and
we're
asking
for
more
funding
for
that
position.
J
L
Asking
for
a
certified
health
teacher-
that's
also
a
special
educator,
because
the
certified
health
teachers
that
the
district
has
do
not
know
how
to
modify
a
curriculum
to
meet
the
needs
of
a
diverse
group
of
learners.
So
we
we've
talked
to
dr.
granzin
about
this,
and
this
is
something
that
we
need
to
be
added,
because
the
district
is
currently
out
of
compliance
with
its
own
policy
about
health
and
wellness.
Great.
B
B
L
What
happens
is
required
by
law
for
every
student
ages,
14
up
to
age
22?
So
what
that
looks
like
is
very
different.
That's
what
I'm
asked
so
younger
kids.
It
would
look
like
looking
at
their
academics
or
sort
of
fields
of
study.
That
would
what
do
you
want
to
do
when
you
get
older,
you
don't
want
to
develop
a
transition
plan
that
the
child
is
not
interested
in.
F
Wonderful
and
just
want
to
clarify
too,
with
our
IEP
system
that
you
cannot.
You
cannot
release
the
IEP
once
the
child's
in
their
thirteenth
year
again,
if
they're
gonna
turn
14,
we
can't
release
the
IEP
and
unless
the
transition
planning
form
is
completed,
so
the
IEP
has
to
go
with.
That
is
my
point.
You
can't
get
a
draft
IEP
to
a
parent
unless
you
fill
out
that
form.
Okay,.
I
F
A
Think
if
you're
gonna
pull
this
drive
data,
if
you
just
add
where
kids
are
employed
or
where
they're
having
their
internships
and
the
I
guess
the
quality
of
the
internship,
but
my
understanding
is
some
kids
are
doing
something
multiple
days
a
week,
maybe
five
days
a
week
and
other
students
are
maybe
going
out
for
shadow
experience,
which
is
a
one-off
type
of
an
event
or
experience.
I
want
to
make
sure
that
they're
all
what
the
quality
is
of
those
those
experiences
and
those
internships
mm-hmm.
F
A
You
I
appreciate
that
and
thank
you
to
your
team
for
being
here
as
well.
We
do
have
prior
to
getting
to
public
testimony.
We
have
one
VPS
teacher
and
who's,
also
a
parent
here
that
would
like
to
offer
testimony
so
just
prior
to
public
testimony
which
we'll
get
into
momentarily
I
mean
ask
that
Melanie
Allen.
Please
join
us
at
the
front
desk.
A
M
Thank
you
so
much
counselors
for
having
this
hearing
and
for
allowing
me
this
opportunity
to
speak.
My
name
is
Melanie
Allen
I
am
a
teacher
in
the
Boston
Public
Schools
and
I'm.
The
parent
of
two
students
in
bps.
One
of
my
children,
is
on
an
IEP.
The
other
is
not
at
their
current
school.
Both
my
children
have
three
adults
in
the
classroom
whom
they
call
my
teacher.
They
both
get
small
group
instruction
and
individualized
supports.
They
both
have
developed
empathy
and
understand
that
every
child
needs
something
different
to
learn.
M
When
my
son
entered
BPS
at
age,
3
aging
out
of
early
intervention,
he
was
still
communicating
most
of
his
needs
through
the
sound
of
a
train
whistle
when
I
showed
him
this
speech
earlier
this
week
he
said
oh
mom,
I'm
still
nonverbal.
Sometimes
when
people
meet
my
children,
they
don't
know
which
one
is
on
the
IEP.
My
story
is
one
of
BPS
special
education
success
and
its
failure.
M
It
turns
out
my
son's
teacher
had
tried
to
get
him
the
supports
that
were
guaranteed
by
his
IEP,
but
she
was
told
not
to
worry
about
it
and
to
stop
talking
about
it,
and
she
was
only
a
provisional
teacher
with
no
job
security.
So
the
message
was
clear:
if
she
wanted
to
keep
her
job,
she
would
keep
quiet.
M
Thank
goodness
that
someone
from
outside
the
school
learned
about
what
was
going
on
not
only
to
my
child
and
called
in
a
complaint
to
the
district.
Without
that
phone
call,
BPS
would
have
been
as
in
the
dark
as
I
was,
but
now
they
knew,
and
in
fact
it
was
very
encouraging.
Just
now
to
hear
Cindy
Nielsen
say
that
it
is
district
policy
to
hire
extra
staffing
when
they
know
that
supports
are
not
in
place.
That
was
not
my
experience.
M
My
husband
and
I
asked
the
district
to
hire
someone
who
could
provide
services
for
my
son
in
the
classroom
and
they
refused
repeatedly
we
had
meeting
after
meeting
we
dipped
into
our
savings
to
hire
an
advocate.
Finally,
the
solution
was
to
force
other
teachers
in
the
building
to
push
in
wherever
they
could
to
fulfill
the
minutes
of
his
IEP
good
teachers
were
staying
after
school
or
coming
in
early
or
working
on
their
break.
Some
of
his
specialized
instruction
was
during
lunch.
M
M
In
the
past
year,
I
have
met
family
after
family
who
tell
me
how
their
children
were
denied
their
services,
how
they
fought
for
help,
but
they
were
buried
in
paperwork
and
legalese
I
have
met
teacher
after
teacher
who
confide
in
me
that
they
know
they
are
breaking
the
law
that
they
literally
cry
at
night,
because
they
know
what
they're
doing
is
unconscionable.
They
want
to
say
something,
but
they
are
afraid.
I
am
the
only
teacher
on
your
panel
tonight,
because
people
are
afraid
to
speak
up.
I
wish
my
story.
M
Weren't
unique
I
am
so
lucky
that
I
could
afford
an
advocate
that
I
have
inside
knowledge
of
bps,
that
I
speak
English
fluently,
that
I
am
educated
and
that
I
am
not
easily
intimidated.
I
cannot
pretend
that
those
factors
weren't
a
huge
part
of
why
my
children
are
now
in
one
of
the
schools,
but
even
my
kids,
current
teachers
say
they
need
more
help
to
truly
fulfill
all
the
requirements
of
their
students.
Iep
s,
my
experience
as
a
PPS
parent
of
a
child
with
special
means
has
shown
me
two
equally
important
truths.
M
A
B
Want
to
say
thank
you
for
sharing
your
story
and
for
recognizing
your
own
privilege
in
the
situation
and,
and
so
many
families
do
not
have
that
I
mean
when
I
opened
up
with
my
opening
comments,
you
know
talked
about
my
own
experience
with
my
grandson.
You
know
I'd
worked
at
Mac
for
a
number
of
years.
You
know
I've
got
lawyers
I
can
turn
to
who
are
my
co-workers?
B
Who
were
there
for
me
I'm
in
this
space,
as
an
advocate
myself,
and
even
still
knowing
everything
I
know,
these
superintendents
personally
have
their
cell
phones
can
call
them
because
of
my
role
even
still
going
into
those
meetings
are
so
intimidating.
It
is
all
lawyer
talk,
it
is
all
doctor
talk
and
no
one
is
really
speaking.
B
You
know
up
for
the
families
and
so
I'm
so
glad
that
this
worked
out
for
you
and
and
it's
important
that
we
make
sure
that
it
works
out
for
the
number,
the
so
many
other
students,
the
21%
of
other
students
who
are
in
in
the
district
who
are
not
getting
the
supports.
Oh
I
shouldn't
say
that
many
of
those
students
who
are
not
getting
the
supports
that
they
need
in
the
services.
B
A
You
thank
you
very
much
for
being
here.
I
will
now
shift
over
to
public
testimony.
As
you
know,
many
of
you
know
there
are
two
microphones
left
and
right
for
both
of
us,
so
I'm
going
to
call
a
few
people
up
at
a
time
and
if
you
just
queue
up
at
each
of
the
mic,
phones
and
I
hope
that
you'll
just
keep
your
comments.
Your
testimony,
a
few
minutes
I,
don't
set
the
alarm
for
you,
because
this
is
your
opportunity
to
talk
to
us.
But
I
do
ask
you
to
be
aware
of
the
time.
N
N
Name
is
Jesse.
Had
urban
I
am
the
mother
of
three
amazing
girls
Molly
a
teen,
a
freshman
at
Northeastern,
sorry
Ella
15,
a
freshman
in
high
school
unable
to
physically
attend
high
school.
She
is
receiving
10
hours
a
week
of
tutoring
through
Boston's
home
and
hospital
program,
and
my
youngest
daughter
Georgia,
a
seventh
grader
at
Boston
Latin
Academy.
N
N
N
After
every
every
hospitalization
Ella
tried
to
transition
back
to
school,
with
the
support
of
family
therapy,
psychiatrists
medications
and
an
IEP.
Although
she
utilized
all
supports
l
was
not
successful
in
transitioning
back
I,
remember
phone
calls
from
school
that
Ella
was
found
in
the
bathroom
taking
a
fire
pencil
sharpeners,
so
she
could
get
to
the
razor
blade
to
slice
her
arms
out
to
relieve
some
of
the
anxiety
being
at
school.
N
Seventh
and
eighth
grade
went
on
like
this,
and
she
finished
a
good
part
of
both
years
at
home
in
home
and
Hospital
tutoring
freshman
year
we
thought
would
be
different.
Ella
was
going
to
go
to
Norfolk
agricultural
vocational
school
in
Walpole,
Boston
agreed
to
foot
the
bill
because
we
didn't
have
any
vocational
programs
like
it.
N
She
would
be
able
to
work
with
animals
learn
skills
as
along
with
her
academics.
This
would
surely
be
the
change
that
she
would
need
two
months
in
to
school.
She
had
two
consecutive
hospitalizations
again
utilizing
all
the
supports
that
her
IEP
afforded
and
her
outside
supports.
Ella
was
again
I'm
able
to
transition
back
to
school.
She
felt
when
she
was
in
school
that
she
wanted
to
die.
People
ask
well
just
make
her
go
to
school.
You
can't
make
her.
She
wants
to
die
and
there
are
no
hospitals
for
her
to
go
to.
N
At
this
time.
Ella
psychiatrist
at
Boston,
Children's
Hospital,
recommended
a
therapeutic
day.
School
I
requested
more
supports
in
her
IEP
and
for
over
a
month
both
Norfolk
agricultural
and
myself
tried
to
reach
out
to
Boston.
We
called
the
welcome
center.
We
called
the
special
education
department
and
didn't
get
anywhere
no
return
phone
calls.
Misinformation
and
I
didn't
get
anywhere
until
I
reached
out
to
counselor
George's
office,
and
she
was
able
to
point
me
to
someone
who
could
help
me
find
out
where
to
go.
N
During
this
time,
I
started
researching
private
therapeutic
day
schools
as
well,
only
to
find
that
I
couldn't
get
any
information
other
than
what
was
on
the
computer
because
you
have
to
be
referred
by
your
district,
so
we
waited
a
new
IEP
was
drafted
and
on
February
12
2000
19.
We
sat
down
with
Boston
to
discuss
placement.
I
was
extremely
prepared
for
the
meeting
and
I
was
hopeful.
N
I
provided
Catherine
Marcy
Bickerton
the
senior
program
director
of
mediation
and
dispute
resolution
for
Boston
Public,
Schools
50,
very
personal
private
pages
of
information
that
pertained
to
my
daughter's
history.
Her
diagnosis,
I
provided
her
with
discharge
paperwork
summary
safety
plans.
I
also
provided
her
with
two
letters,
one
from
her
pediatrician
of
15
years
and
the
other
from
her
psychiatrist
at
Boston
Children's
Hospital,
requesting
the
need
for
a
private
therapeutic
day
school
as
Boston
only
had
the
McKinley.
Sorry.
N
N
N
This
would
be
traumatic
for
an
internalizing
kid,
with
a
diagnosis
of
post-traumatic
stress
disorder.
I
also
expressed
my
concern
regarding
the
statistics
of
the
school,
such
as
the
graduation
rate,
out-of-school
suspension
rate.
Unfortunately,
Catherine
did
not
look
through
the
packet
I
gave
her.
Nor
did
she
ask
questions
about
my
child
other
than
what
was
on
that
IEP
with
that
catherine
burbly
recommended
them,
but
the
McKinley
school
I
agreed
to
keep
an
open
mind
and
I
went
on
a
tour
of
the
school
weeks
later.
N
Finally,
someone
had
reached
out
to
me
and
on
March
1st
we
toured
the
school.
We
pulled
up
to
what
what
looked
like
a
prison.
The
windows
all
had
bars,
the
blinds
were
ripped,
the
building
was
dilapidated.
We
were
greeted
at
the
lower
entrance
of
the
building
by
an
amazing
woman,
the
principal
Tina
Stella,
who
then
walked
us
through
the
building.
She
first
showed
us
the
metal
detectors
that
the
students
walked
through
in
the
morning
and
how
that
they
would
all
be
wandered
down
all
of
their
bags
book
bags.
N
Pocketbooks
would
be
physically
gone
through
and
taken
apart,
their
phones,
their
laptops,
would
be
confiscated
for
the
whole
day
and
then
these
students
can
go
on
and
start
their
day.
The
tour
started
with
a
brief
of
the
model
of
the
school,
which,
in
theory
sounds
great.
The
meeting
with
the
principal
was
interrupted
four
times,
so
she
could
personally
go
and
deescalate
students.
N
Some
of
the
most
important
questions
my
daughter
had
to
ask:
what
clubs
do
you
have?
What
extracurricular
activities
do
you
have?
Are
there
sports
here?
Do
you
have
prom
the
answer
to
every
single
one
of
those
questions
is
no
from
there
we
started
our
physical
tour
of
the
school.
It's
a
very
scary
place
to
be
the
high
school
wing
of
the
school
wreaked
like
marijuana,
so
much
so
that
the
principal
made
a
comment
and
no
one
cared
no
one
care
to
go
see
who
was
smoking
pot
during
the
school
day?
N
Our
first
stop
was
to
an
English
class
to
a
teacher
who
I've
heard
amazing
things
about
class
was
in
session
and
we
walked
in.
There
was
a
student
laying
on
top
of
three
desks.
There
were
two
other
students
in
the
corner:
kicking
around
two
gatorade
bottle
and
three
boys
in
another
corner
swearing
and
pushing
each
other,
and
this
is
what
we
experienced
every
classroom
that
we
visited.
N
It
was
frightening.
We
left
that
day
and
my
suspicions
were
confirmed.
This
was
in
no
way
the
right
placement
for
my
daughter.
Nor
was
it
the
right
placement
for
any
child.
I
never
heard
from
anyone,
not
until
March
27th,
when
my
school
reached
out
to
Katherine,
and
she
said
that
we
should
have
contacted
them.
I,
don't
know
anything
about
this
process.
I've
been
too
busy
advocating
for
her
mental
health.
This
is
all
news
to
me.
N
I
also
took
it
upon
myself
at
this
time
to
go
through
some
data
and
post
some
some
statistics
from
Boston
Public
Schools
website.
These
statistics
of
the
2017
school
report
card
I
compared
the
McKinley
Boston's
1
therapeutic
day
school
to
11,
randomly
selected
high
schools,
one
school
skip
to
one
school
skipped
to
data
that
I
found
as
a
parent
was
important,
and
what
I
found
was
astounding.
I
provided
copies
of
this
data
and
I
have
I'm
sorry,
so
I
provide
the
statistics
of
all
the
schools
and
another
graph.
N
N
The
four-year
graduation
rate,
the
mckee
at
the
McKinley
three
out
of
every
ten
kids,
will
graduate
high
school
at
the
lowest
performing
schools.
Five
out
of
every
ten
kids
will
graduate
high
school
of
those
three
out
of
ten
kids.
That
will
graduate
only
two
out
of
ten
of
those
kids
will
go
on
to
college.
N
N
She
suffered
a
trauma
she's
a
kid
whose
safety
to
her
always
is
something
she
feels
could
be
compromised
at
anytime.
The
out-of-school
suspension
rate
is
to
almost
25
percent.
That
means
that
one
in
every
four
kids
may
have
an
out-of-school
suspension
and
the
last
thing
the
last
statistic
is
core
academics
taught
by
highly
qualified
teachers
I'm
not
quite
sure
what
that
means,
but
at
the
McKinley
only
three
and
a
half
out
of
every
ten
teachers
are
highly
qualified.
At
the
best
performing
school,
nine
out
of
every
ten
teachers
are
highly
qualified.
N
N
N
N
It
was
like
the
ear
let
out
anxiety
and
traveled
through
my
veins.
There's
barely
any
windows,
and
why
are
the
ones
I
see
so
small
I
want
to
leave
and
nothing
in
my
mind
and
body
feels
right.
I
feel
so
uncomfortable
I
want
to
go
to
a
school
where
I
feel
safe
and
comfortable
I
want
to
go
to
prom
and
make
memories.
I
am
tired
of
doing
school
from
my
dining
room.
I'm
missing
out
on
memories
I
deserve
I
would
also
like
to
note
that
at
this
meeting,
I
did
request.
N
K
N
Placement
and
service
options
there
is
I,
guess
it's
twenty
eight
point:
oh
six,
B
I'm,
not
sure
it
states
that
consideration
must
be
given
to
any
potential
harmful
effect
on
the
student
or
on
the
quality
of
services
that
the
student
needs.
That
didn't
happen
also
another
another
violation,
I
feel
is
prior
to
the
placement
meeting.
The
school
jurist
district
and
parent
shall
investigate
in
district
and
out
of
district
placement
options
and
light
of
the
students
needs
that
didn't
have
it
happen.
There
were
several
of
several
other
things
in
here.
N
O
O
Has
ever
told
me
to
speak
louder,
so
that
story
is
not
uncommon.
I
will
try
to
be
quick.
My
daughter
Josephine
was
born
at
26
weeks
weighing
just
over
a
pound
and
a
half.
She
suffered
very
significant
leads
in
her
brain
to
the
point
where
the
hospital
was
not
sure
that
she
would
live
so
after
we
brought
her
home.
She
got
early
intervention
from
the
day
we
arrived
home.
She
was
on
oxygen
for
a
year.
The
I
came
they
provided
by
the
time
she
reached
her
third
birthday
nine
hours
of
services
per
week.
O
O
O
O
Basically
that
invalidated
her
entire
protocol,
but
when
I
brought
that
up
it
was
dismissed,
she
then
was
rejected
for
services
and
I
fought
and
I
fought
and
I
fought
and
I
fought.
And
finally,
all
I
asked
for
was
PT
and
ot.
At
that
point,
I
mean
I
was
not
asking
for
inclusion
and
I
was
not
asking
for
one-to-one
Paras
I
was
not
acting
asking
for
a
big
financial
drain
on
the
district.
I
was
asking
for
by
you,
know:
weekly
ot
and
Pt.
O
This
is
the
battle
my
husband
and
I
have
faced
since
our
child
aged
into
the
public
school
system
in
Boston.
I
left
my
full-time
job
as
a
pediatric,
neuropsychologist
and
I
am
very
thankful
that
I
have
the
time
and
the
energy
to
devote
to
this,
because
I
cannot
fathom
being
a
full
time
working
parent
and
trying
to
fight
this
battle,
and
it's
for
baby
amounts
of
services.
O
Because
of
my
concerns
with
bps
and
with
my
daughter's
needs
and
she
fatigues
easily
I
could
not
enroll
her
in
a
full-time
bps
program,
I
chose
st.
Teresa's
School
in
West
Roxbury
a
private
school.
During
her
K
0
year,
I
faithfully
took
her
out
of
school
brought
her
to
the
Linden
pilot
school,
brought
her
back
to
school.
To
make
sure
she
received
her
services
this
year
they
have
sort
of
rolled
out
this
program
about
being
able
to
receive
her
homes.
There
are
services
at
her
home
school
at
st.
O
Teresa's,
rather
than
disrupting
her
educational
experience
at
the
end
of
October
services.
Finally
commenced.
Two
weeks
later,
the
OT
surf
session
stopped.
Apparently
the
provider
hired
to
work
with
Josephine
was
no
longer
handling
her
services
and
how
did
I
learn
about
this?
Not
through
her
provider
or
through
bps
as
legally
mandated
because
they
were
no
longer
in
compliance
with
her
IEP.
O
My
four-year-old
daughter
told
me,
and
only
when
I
asked
how
it
was
going.
Shame
on
a
system
that
makes
a
four-year-old
more
accountable
than
the
adults
charged
with
helping
her
once
service
is
stopped.
I
heard
nothing
I
emailed
every
human
at
BPS,
I
could
think
of
from
the
top
down,
and
no
one
replied
for
weeks
after
several
weeks,
I
finally
started
emailing
mayor
walsh,
some
of
the
city,
councilors
offices
and
any
other
politician
I
could
possibly
think
of,
and
then
I
received
a
response
within
24
hours
providing
me
with
the
compensatory
services
arrangement.
O
O
The
only
reason
I
know
that
she
receives
her
services
now
is
because
her
teacher
very
kindly
places
a
note
in
her
folder
and
lets
me
know.
I
have
heard
zero
communication
from
bps
I
actually
had
her
IEP
the
meeting
this
morning,
and
lo
and
behold,
I
show
up
here
and
there's
a
patient
or
a
parent
portal
I've
never
heard
of
two
years
in
BPS,
and
I
have
never
heard
of
it.
I'm
not
alone.
There
are
a
number
of
parents
and
st.
O
Theresa's
who
are
frustrated
and
their
wit's
end
with
the
Boston
Public
School
System
one
father
went
to
get
a
t--
student
designation
and
requested
an
initial
evaluation
at
one
of
the
welcome
centers
and
was
laughed
at
and
told
good
luck.
He
still
hasn't
heard
from
bps
I'm,
pretty
sure
that
is
also
not
in
compliance.
O
Another
family
told
me
they
did
not
want
to
go
through
the
hassle
of
having
their
child
evaluated
despite
the
child
needing
assistance,
because
the
process
is
quote
broken.
Another
parent
have
the
same
experience
that
we
did
where
the
services
simply
stopped,
because
the
provider
left
and
the
parent
were
not
notified.
We
have
several
students
attained
st.
Teresa's
who
need
reading
support
services.
Thus
far,
BPS
has
not
provided
a
reading
specialist
to
these
students.
O
They
have
reportedly
provided
the
parents
with
the
option
to
leave
work
in
the
middle
of
the
day
and
transport,
their
children
independently
to
another
school
for
services,
thereby
ensuring
maximum
disruption
to
a
parents,
workday
and
a
student's
learning.
Another
parent
requested
an
independent
evaluation
for
their
child
and
were
given
incorrect
information.
Yet
another
parent
does
not
even
bother
attempting
to
have
her
child
receive
the
services
to
which
she's
entitled,
because
it
is
quote
too
difficult
to
work
with
this
fed
system.
O
O
This
is
why,
if
they
are
financially
able
to
do
so,
so
many
families
are
leaving
this
wonderful,
City
and
looking
elsewhere
for
better
educational
opportunities
for
their
children,
I
know
of
18
families
that
have
moved
in
the
past
two
to
three
years.
For
this
very
reason
we
are
residents.
We
are
taxpayers
in
the
city
and
we
are
legally
entitled
to
a
system
that
provides
the
services
necessary
for
our
children
to
learn,
and
hopefully
succeed
as
a
parent
and
as
a
professional
in
this
field.
P
Hi,
my
name
is
Paul
McLaughlin
I'm
from
Dorchester
I
had
a
very
discouraging
day.
Yesterday,
my
daughter
and
I
were
at
her
IEP
meeting
I
left
angry.
She
left
demoralized
discouraged
and
ready
to
give
up.
My
daughter
is
16
years
old.
She
suffers
from
an
episodic
disability
and
episodic
disabilities
does
not
show
up
all
the
time.
It's
not
here,
she's
good
one
day.
She
may
not
be
good.
The
next
day
she
has
chronic
medication
resistant,
ocular
migraines
with
aura.
This
requires
small
accommodations
like
preferential,
treating
that
preferential
seating
are
being
allowed
to
carry
water
bottle.
P
It
also
requires
bigger
accommodations,
because
a
debilitating
migraine
can
strike
at
any
time
and
causing
excessive
absences
and
the
need
for
good
communication,
so
she
can
get
her
missing
work
in
an
educational
setting.
She
presents
virtually
the
same
as
a
student
with
sickle-cell
disease.
The
reason
I
mentioned
sickle
cell
is
because
last
year
the
Boston
Public
School
System
entered
into
a
voluntary
resolution
with
the
US
Department
of
Education
Office
of
Civil
Rights
for
systematic
discrimination
against
students
with
sickle-cell
disease.
P
A
an
episodic
disability,
my
daughter's
disability,
mimics
that
in
an
educational
setting
different
medically
same
same
in
in
the
classroom,
there
is
one
there
is
a
big
difference,
though
sed
is
predominantly
african-american
and
Hispanic
migraine.
Sufferers
are
predominantly
female:
37
percent
of
females
of
reproductive
age
compared
to
6
percent
of
men
and
85
percent
of
chronic
migraine.
Sufferers
are
female.
P
My
daughter
attends
one
of
Boston's
exam
school
and
repeatedly
and
persistently
over
the
last
four
years.
Members
of
the
administration
have
strongly
suggested
that
she
transferred
schools
on
several
occasions,
recommending
that
she
go
to
level
four
or
level
five
schools,
I
was
pulled
into
a
meeting,
I
was
told,
I
had
to
get
there,
and
what
was
it
was.
Was
three
administrators
at
the
school
telling
me
that
there
were
better
places
for
her
to
go?
P
The
federal
law
requires
BPS
to
provide
her
with
free
and
appropriate
public
education
in
the
least
restrictive
setting
the
Boston
exams
school
issues
a
currently
at
one
of
Boston's.
It
elite
exam
schools,
but
this
means
transferring
her
to
at
the
recommendation
of
the
exam
school
to
a
level
four
school
with
an
8-point
18.9%
disability,
disabled
population,
a
level
four
school
with
a
twenty
percent
disabled
population,
a
level
five
school
with
a
20.1%
disabled
population.
P
When
she
discussed
this
with
her
peers
because
she
does
have
friends,
she
has
very
good
social,
emotional
health
and
everything
like
that
would
the
exception
she
has
a
chronic
illness.
Her
peers,
who
knew
were
familiar
with
these
schools,
said
the
transfer
would
be
fine
because
she
could
stay
in
a
segregated
classroom
all
day
and
they
would
bring
the
assignments
to
her.
That
is,
she
could
be
it
labeled,
full
inclusion,
but
be
substantially
separate.
P
This
is
not
exactly
the
least
restrictive
environment
and
it's
not
exactly
appropriate
for
someone
who
has
expressed
aspirations
and
the
ability
to
go
on
to
medical
school.
She
wants
to
join
Doctors,
Without
Borders
and
by
the
way
this
was
the
first
time
I
have
heard
about
of
the
requirement
for
a
transition
plan.
My
daughter
is
now
16
years
old
will
soon
be
seventeen
over
the
past
four
years.
We've
struggled
to
get
the
school
to
acknowledge
her
504
plan
from
her
previous
school
obtain.
A
new
504
plan
upgrade
to
an
IEP
get
home
in
hospital.
P
Tutoring
maintain
the
tutoring
and
just
getting
the
school
to
follow.
The
IEP
she's
not
been
provided
with
materials
or
assignments,
as
required
by
the
IEP.
The
assignments
she
has
been
provided
have
often
been
cryptic
and
inadequate,
such
as
white
enix,
write,
write
a
reflective
essay
on
what
was
done
in
class.
Today
she
wasn't
in
class
or
do
the
work
finish.
The
worksheet
done
in
class
today,
again
no
worksheet
into
no
class
this
year.
P
She
has
finally
gotten
approved
for
a
tutor
through
home
in
hospital
for
six
hours,
and
it
has
been
a
god-sent,
because
now,
at
least
we
are
getting
a
portion
of
the
assignments
that
she
needs
to
do.
However,
the
district
does
require
that
I
provide
new
paperwork
every
eight
weeks
to
continue
tutoring
every
eight
weeks,
new
paperwork.
She
has
been
retained
in
great
specifically
due
to
absenteeism
related
to
her
disability.
P
Despite
having
passing
on
paper
yesterday
and
her
latest
IEP
meeting,
we
were
informed
that
she
has
stay-put
rights
to
the
end
of
the
year
and
then
she
will
need
to
go
somewhere
else.
It
appears
this
has
been
the
strategy
for
the
last
several
years
coming
to
fruition.
In
fact,
the
first
year
I
was
there
I
was
told.
Well
maybe
she
shouldn't
be.
She
should
be
someplace
more
less
challenging
until
she
gets
over
it.
I
spend
a
good
time
a
good
deal
of
time.
P
Last
meeting
trying
to
convince
her
that
dropping
out
because
it
was
she
was
too
difficult
to
educate,
was
not
her
only
viable
option
but
I
confess
I,
don't
know
if
her
migraines
and
how
complicated
they
make
the
school's
job
leave
her
with
any
viable
options.
Yesterday's
stress
exacerbated
her
pain
level.
She
was
not
in
school
today.
A
Q
You
counselors
appreciate
the
opportunity
to
speak
today.
My
name
is
Gabriel
McLeod
go
by
Gabe
and
maybe
my
wife
Lara
nicolau.
We
are
recent
parents
of
an
adopted
child
from
China.
Her
name
is
Felicity
Nicola
and
I
would
like
to
tell
you
about
our
overall
experience
with
bps
in
trying
to
obtain
IEP
services.
So
we
writing
us
parents
of
a
child
with
special
needs
currently
receiving
IEP
services
from
Boston
Public
Schools.
My
wife
actually
has
additional
perspective
and
an
experience.
Q
Having
worked
as
a
speech-language
pathologist
at
a
public
elementary
school
in
a
Boston
suburb
and
throughout
the
evaluation
IEP
process,
we
felt
often
overwhelmed
and
can
I
imagine
how
difficult
it
must
be
for
families
who
are
not
familiar
with
this
process.
We'd
like
to
provide
some
specific
examples
of
some
of
the
barriers
families
face
when
trying
to
seek
educational
supports
from
bps.
The
first
barrier
families
face
is
enrollment
at
the
Welcome
Center.
We
visited
the
Welcome
Center
this
summer
and
at
the
time
the
computer
network
for
at
bps
was
down.
Q
The
network
remained
down
for
several
days
and,
as
a
result,
we
were
unable
to
enroll
our
daughter
to
BPS
or
request
for
a
special
education
evaluation,
given
that
these
offices
were
open
and
staffed,
why
did
we
have
to
return
another
day
to
hand
in
our
paperwork
for
families
with
less
flexible
work
schedules?
This
could
be
a
significant
barrier.
Q
Ultimately,
we
felt
very
uncomfortable
trusting
a
lottery
system
with
our
daughter's
safety
before
an
IEP
was
even
developed,
so
request
an
evaluation
vote.
We
requested
for
a
full
evaluation
from
BPS.
In
the
meantime,
we
pursued
the
option
of
a
nearby
parish
school.
We
ended
up
at
Saint,
Teresa,
similar
to
Kelly
and,
with
one
phone
call,
we
were
able
to
tour
to
school,
meet
the
principal
we
were
able
to
discuss
our
daughter's
needs
and
the
supports
the
school
would
be
able
to
provide.
Q
Q
Ultimately,
we
heard
back
from
BPS
after
my
daughter's
first
date,
it's
at
the
parish
school,
because
the
vice-principal
made
a
call
to
BPS
regarding
our
daughter,
I
wish
that
kept
better
records
of
the
day
we
requested
evaluation
and
other
dates
to
demonstrate
just
how
BPS
ignored
the
special
education
timeline
throughout
the
entire
process,
and
once
the
evaluations
were
completed,
a
process
was
no
smoother.
We
felt
that
the
team
chair
at
the
IEP
acted
as
a
gatekeeper
attempting
to
keep
supports
to
a
minimum
I.
Imagine
that
many
other
families
have
felt
the
same.
Q
I
would
like
to
provide
some
examples
of
this
and
in
order
to
really
help
you
to
understand,
like
tell
you
a
little
bit
more
about
my
daughter,
she
is
five
years
old
I
mentioned
that
she
was
adopted
from
China.
She
has
significant
brain
structure
differences,
including
the
absence
of
a
large
portion
of
her
cerebellum
at
the
back
of
her
head.
This
affects
her
walking,
she's
very
unsteady,
and
she
falls
frequently
she
has
low
muscle
tone,
which
impacts
her
fine
motor
access
to
classroom
activities,
and
she
has
some
visual
impairments.
Q
Her
cognitive
abilities
are
difficult
to
determine
given
her
status
as
an
as
an
English
Learner
and
her
limited,
and
also
her
limited
exposure
to
certain
concepts.
Prior
to
this
year.
At
the
evaluation
meeting,
we
felt
that
team
chair
repeatedly
tried
to
minimize
the
significance
of
my
daughter's
disability.
After
the
evaluations
reviewed,
the
team
chair
requested
the
team
to
identify
a
disability
category
for
our
daughter.
The
team
chair
who
had
not
evaluate
our
daughter
suggested
a
category
of
developmental
delay.
Q
The
evaluating
psychologists
then
intervened
to
indicate
that
our
daughter
has
an
identified
neurological
impairment
and,
when
discussing
accommodation,
supports
the
evaluate
evaluating
physical
therapists
recommended
a
one-on-one,
aide
and
I
doubt
our
daughter's
teacher
strongly
supported
this,
noting
the
frequent
Falls
and
indicating
that
the
current
classroom
aide
has
been
serving
as
our
daughters,
facto
aid.
So
in
my
daughter's
costume
there
are
two
teachers,
the
second
teacher
says
just
basically
serving
as
our
as
our
daughters
Akos.
She
just
falls
down
all
the
time.
Q
It
seemed
to
acknowledge
that
our
daughter
safety
was
a
concern,
but
that
BPS
was
not
interested
in
providing
any
support.
Indiana.
We
had
to
wait
eight
weeks
to
reconvene
and
discuss
in
discuss
of
one-on-one
aid
which,
at
which
time
just
a
week's
worth
of
data,
was
considered
sufficient
to
document
our
daughter's
frequent
falls.
Throughout
the
day,
we
were
initially
offered
only
a
trial
of
a
one-on-one
aid
for
our
daughter,
our
daughter
skull
advocated
for
the
aid
to
be
fully
included
an
IEP
rather
than
a
temporary
support.
A
BPS
administrator
at
the
meeting
agreed
to
this.
Q
Yet
the
team
chair
contingent
into
insists
on
that
trial
period,
ultimately,
because
supervisor
prevailed
and
a
one-on-one
paraprofessional
support
was
included
into
IEP.
Our
daughter
continues
to
wait
for
the
support,
as
a
position
has
only
recently
posted,
and
we
share
these
experiences
not
to
advocate
for
special
treatment
for
my
daughter's
case,
but
to
serve
as
an
example
of
how
BPS
presents
ongoing
challenges
and
delays
to
parents
seeking
necessary
support
for
their
children.
If
anything,
we
believe
the
process
was
helped
by
a
supportive
school
team.
Q
Asking
Teresa's
and
for
families
are
less
familiar
with
the
IEP
process.
That
may
not
have
that,
may
not
support
from
their
child's
school
team,
face
a
language
barrier
or
other
challenges,
and
imagine
that
it
would
be
even
more
difficult
to
ensure
appropriate
support
and
even
currently,
we
in
the
or
actually
in
the
initial
IEP,
certain
aspects
of
it.
Q
Q
If
appropriate,
we
would
hold
her
back
for
k2
so
that
she
would
happy
in
k2
next
year,
which
feel
that
it's
very
inappropriate
and
when
we
had
told
them
which
school
we
did
not
want,
but
which
school.
What
we
would
like
to
consider.
We
were
given
placement
for
the
exact
school
that
we
told
we
did
not
want.
So.
Q
Overall,
we
were
very
disappointed
in
the
process
and
the
we
hope
that
you
know
that.
There's
a
opportunity
for
other
parents
over
they
shared
experiences
with
the
Boston
Public
School,
and
we
thank
you
for
your
work
for
helping
to
the
public
schools
and
helping
to
improve
the
overall
IEP
process.
Thank
you.
A
A
R
My
name
is
Phyllis
mcclain
and
I'm,
a
vice
principal
at
the
st.
Theresa's
School
in
West
Roxbury,
so
I'm,
just
gonna,
there's
a
few
things
that
I
wanted
to
kind
of
jump
back
on,
but
I'm
here
tonight
to
discuss
the
ongoing
difficulties
we've
had
dealing
with
bps
special
ed
Department
I
was
under
full
disclosure.
I
was
employed
by
bps
for
30
years
retiring
in
July
of
2018
I
held
many
positions,
including
teachers,
citywide
team,
chair
supervisor,
of
compliance,
Senior,
Program,
Director
of
mediation
and
dispute
and
secured
my
credentials
as
a
school.
R
Psychologist
I
accepted
a
position
as
vice
principal
at
st.
Teresa
school
and
started
immediately
upon
leaving
VPS
the
next
day.
As
a
matter
of
fact,
one
of
my
responsibilities
being
overseeing
the
special
department,
approximately
10%
of
our
students,
have
IEP
s
and
the
process
is
obviously
done
by
bps
as
I
reviewed,
IEP
s,
I
noticed
many
we're
not
current
and
sorry
I
slipped
on
my
glasses
and
when
I
reached
out
to
schools,
I
was
told
the
child
no
longer
appeared
in
the
bps
system.
Apparently,
this
IEP
system
that
mrs.
R
Thomas
addresses
has
drops
continually
drops
private
school
children
from
the
system.
Now
you
know
hard
to
be
found.
Apparently
the
process
for
these
children's
known
as
a
T
or
the
is
cumbersome,
inefficient
system.
Parents
go
to
the
Welcome
Center
explain
to
staff,
they
need
a
special
it
avail
for
the
child,
and
the
obstacle
course
begins.
Parents
reporting
delays
between
six
weeks
to
the
most
recent
eight
months
to
hear
anything
from
the
school
by
law
to
finally
receive
consent.
To
start
the
evaluation
by
law.
R
One
of
our
families
attempted
to
start
in
the
summer.
I
think
it
may
be,
and
finally
had
the
January
meeting,
which
this
gentleman
just
spoke
about.
They
tried
to
access
in
summer
in
January
with
a
partial
IEP
and
then
one
more
almost
a
full
year
in
this
child's
very
very
strong
developmental
window,
she's
a
little
girl
with
a
lot
of
needs,
and
it
was
really
a
disgrace
and
I
think,
hopefully
that
I
was
able
to
nudge
this
process
along.
R
Given
my
contacts
in
in
bps,
the
we've
had
other
parents
who
have
gone
down
to
request
evaluations
and
of
younger
children
for
speech
previously
identified
areas
of
disability.
They
were
told
at
the
Welcome
Center.
They
would
not
issue
them
a
T
number
that
they
had
to
go
through
a
screening
that
is
not
mandated
by
law.
They
have
made
a
valve
all
available.
The
child's
find
that
I
believe
miss
Nielsen
referenced
that
they
now
have
it's.
Finally,
compliance
with
federal
law
around
proportionate
share,
and
so
that's
a
whole
other
area
that
probably
won't
get
into
tonight.
R
R
You
know
I
do
want
to
say
with
this
whole
process,
because
it's
it's
one
that
we
constantly
ink
up
against
trying
to
get
the
kids
these
numbers,
these
t
numbers
we
did
have
a
wonderful
woman
who
is
unfortunately,
since
left
the
department
who
worked
tirelessly
to
make
this
happen.
We
had
a
parent
go
down
and
tried
to
get
a
number
and
they
were
told
by
the
Welcome
Center
this
person
left.
We
have
five
people
working
on
it.
Nothing
happens.
Your
kid
wasn't
picked
up,
so
it's
just
a
system
in
chaos.
R
I
had
reached
out
many
many
times
to
the
folks
in
bps
to
try
to
partner
with
them
to
let's
work
together.
You
know
it's
like
the
old
saying.
If
you
can't
change
what
you
won't
acknowledge,
if
we
can't
acknowledge
that
we
have
a
huge
problem
here,
we're
never
going
to
change
it.
I've
been
met
with
resistance
myself
in
the
principal
who
is
also
a
former
PPS
special
education
administrator
know
how
to
navigate
the
system.
We
have
sent
numerous
emails
to
the
special
ed
departments,
Nelson
&
Company,
no
responses.
R
R
We
have
every
step
of
the
way
kids
going
to
team
meetings.
If
there's
a
team
meeting
such
as
you
know
the
ones
we've
talked
about
today
by
law,
they
are
required
to
invite
someone
from
the
child's
private
school
to
be
a
member
of
the
team.
We
will
find
him
out
team
meetings
through
the
parents
and
hey.
You
know:
Phil's
gonna
come
to
the
meeting,
never
heard
about
it,
go
to
the
school,
they
would
say
we
don't
have
to
invite
you
we've
been
told.
We
don't
have
to
invite
you.
You
know.
R
R
Several
weeks
ago
received
a
call
from
Katherine
Kathy
Mears
who's,
the
superintendent
Catholic
schools
saying
she
had
received
a
call
that
mr.
Neilson
had
initiated
to
office
of
legal
advisors.
Boston
Public
Schools,
saying
that
I
was
in
violation
of
conflict
of
interest
law
and
that
I
quote
unquote
and
I'm
not
making
this
up.
Katherine
Mears
is
a
very
good
reporter
that
I
knew
too
much
and
therefore
was
perceived
as
intimidating
and
I
was
subject
to
criminal
criminal
prosecution
and
penalty.
R
If
I
were
to
go
to
in
deal
with
any
more
of
our
Boston
kids,
you
make
it
up.
I
went
to
a
number
of
people.
Very
upsetting
I
feel
like
I
was
defamed
the
Catholic
school
office.
They
were
all
abuzz
I
finally
went
to
the
state
Ethics
Committee
and
turned
the
case
over
to
Eve
Slattery,
chief
chief
counsel
for
the
for
the
state
Ethics
Committee.
They
were
flabbergasted
along
with
retirement.
They
said
I'm,
absolutely
I'm,
working
in
a
private
industry.
Nothing
that
I
did
in
Boston
is
overlapping
in
any
way
shape
or
form.
R
I
have
all
these
letters
I
have
the
letter
that
was
generated
from
you.
Not
only
did
she
call
Kathy
miss
to
threaten
me
to
stay
out
into
Fame,
be
in
addition,
they
wrote
they
put
it
in
writing.
They
put
it
in
actual
writing
that
I
was
too
familiar
with
the
rules.
The
regulations
so
on
and
so
forth
of
EPs
and
I
should
cease
immediately
working
with
Boston
kids.
R
R
Strongly
appreciate
my
help
in
navigating
this
system
to
get
their
kids
services,
so
you
know
why
don't?
Why
am
I
here
to
help
bps
do
better?
We
want
it
to
partner
with
them
our
kids,
our
bps
residents.
They
are
not
from
other
communities.
Their
parents
are
citizens
taxpayers
we
wanted
to
partner.
Let's
make
the
system
better.
R
The
response
has
been
so
horrendous
and,
secondly,
and
very
important
and
close
to
my
heart,
I
have
a
daughter
who
works
in
the
Boston
Public
School
special
ed
department.
As
a
coordinator,
wonder
100
I
am
so
fearful
of
her
being
retaliated
against
because
of
my
actions.
I
have
been
in
unquestionably
retaliated
against
for
my
participation
in
the
DP
meetings.
R
They
have
other
things
to
do
get
on
some
of
these
place,
missions,
overdue
meetings-
and
you
know,
and
as
I
said,
I
put
it
on
the
record
because
I
fear,
you
know,
I
retired
I
know
there
is
there's
only
so
much.
You
can
do.
I
fear
for
the
retaliation
of
my
daughter
and
one
nice
and
I
want
that
on
the
record,
and
you
know,
hopefully,
we
stand
committed
to
try
to
help
do
better.
We
only
have
about
3035
kids
on
IEP
s,
however,
within
the
Catholic
school
community
there
are
thousands.
R
We
have
lots
of
kids
there
a
powerful
force
and,
as
you
can
see,
with
Kelly
and
Gabe,
they
are,
they
are
organizing
and
they
are
come
becoming
a
force
of
Longley
neglected
people
in
the
community.
They
deserve
better
and
we're
here
to
thank
you
for
really
stepping
in
and
helping
this
because
this,
what
has
happened
to
me
is
a
disgrace
and
I
will
share
my
letter
from
Eve
Slattery,
saying
I
absolutely
am
in
no
conflict
in
yeah.
Thank
you
for
listening.
A
S
You
know,
I
got
to
say
actually
following
especially
the
parents,
testimony
I'm,
sorry
that
that
was
your
experience.
My
testimony
isn't
nearly
as
powerful.
Thank
you
for
sharing
that
and
thank
you.
I
wanted
to
say
that
first
yeah
as
a
coordinator,
I
hold
IEP
meetings.
I
write
the
IEP
s
and
I
do
a
lot
of
other
things
along
those
lines.
I
also
want
to
pause
and
mention
that
I
don't
speak
on
behalf
of
all
coordinators
right.
S
S
Determining
placement
for
students
I
especially
want
to
focus
on
the
negative
impact
of
substantially
separate
programs
where
students
with
disabilities
are
separated
from
their
peers
and,
in
my
experience,
I
guess,
especially
in
high
school,
where
they
often
they're
stigmatized
and
made
to
feel
like
they
just
don't
belong
I
frequently
hear
from
these
students
their
frustration,
especially
their
their
lack
of
motivation.
I'd
say
for
many
of
them.
They've
been
in
these
sub
separate
programs
for
much
of
their
academic
lives.
S
One
student
I
was
speaking
with
this
morning,
as
I
was
thinking
about
what
I
would
say
explained
how
lonely
and
left
out
it
makes
him
feel
at
school.
He
thinks
other
students
laugh
about
him
and
and
like
his
peers
in
the
sub
separate
program,
now,
I
I,
actually
I,
don't
think
his
peers
are
laughing
at
him.
I
think
that
the
issue
is
is
the
being
kept
separate,
makes
him
self-conscious
and
it
makes
him
feel
like
he
has
less
value
in
being
there
in
the
building.
S
We
have
an
obligation
to
educate
our
students
in
the
least
restrictive
environment,
and
we
must
ensure
that
our
students
with
disabilities
have
access
to
the
curriculum
and
the
same
opportunities
as
their
non-disabled
peers
and
that
they
are
not
restricted
by
their
disabilities.
Equity
and
access
are
civil
rights
issues
and
also
moral
issues.
S
Equity
and
access
must
drive
our
decision-making
processes
in
school
and
in
society
at
large.
So
well
that
said,
students
ask
me
every
day
to
put
them
in
larger
classes.
I
mean.
Obviously
it's
not.
That
simple
requires.
Team
meetings
requires
a
lot,
but
it
is
fair
to
ask
why
why
do
coordinators
continue
to
place
students
into
these
substantially
separate
programs?
There's
a
simple
answer:
Boston
Public
Schools
does
not
braylee
staff
nor
appropriately
fund
inclusion
programs
classrooms
where
students
with
disabilities
are
educated
alongside
their
non-disabled
peers.
S
This
will
continue
until
BPS
creates
a
district-wide
policy
that
takes
inclusion
seriously.
We
need
to
change
the
way
we
approach,
educating
students
with
disabilities.
We
need
more
inclusion
programs
and
at
a
minimum
we
need
to
have
two
teachers
and
inclusion
classes,
one
special
education
teacher
in
one
general
education
teacher.
We
need
to
create
classroom
environments
in
which
all
students
can
succeed.
Equally,
thank
you
for
your
time.
T
Hi
y'all
I'm,
a
teacher
at
the
Mario
monic
Adam,
II
and
I'm
speaking
on
behalf
of
the
teachers
at
the
amount
of
Kadim
II
in
East,
Boston
I'm,
a
fifth
grade
teacher,
some
of
my
co-workers
showed
up
and
they
have
much
more
thorough
and
specific
testimony
that
I
want
to
make
time
for
them
to
give
so
I'm
actually
going
to
be
very
brief
for
real
all
right.
So,
in
short,
our
students
are
not
being
serviced
or
provided
access
to
special
education
services.
T
The
despite
requests
from
staff,
families
and
positions
from
k23,
we're
being
told
not
to
refer
them
as
we
are
a
dual
language
school.
So
the
assumption
is
that
all
these
problems
amount
to
language-
and
this
includes
requests
from
native
Spanish
speakers
who
are
expressing
serious
concerns
with
students
only
to
have
those
requests
dismissed
because
the
students
are
bilingual.
This
has
been
my
experience
as
well
with
students
often
times
when
issues
arise,
and
we
would
like
to
identify
that
student.
We're
told
that
it
has
to
do
with
them
being
Latino
or
being
a
Spanish
speaker.
T
So
sorry,
so,
basically
these
students
in
the
lower
grades
K
through
3
once
they
reach
grades,
4
&
5,
where
we're
given
information
that
the
teachers
were
concerned
in
the
past.
But
again
those
concerns
are
kind
of
put
off
to
the
side
and
by
the
time
that
they
hit
middle
school,
we're
told
that
it's
either
a
language
issue
or
it's
basically
too
late
to
address
some
of
these
concerns.
I
think
some
of
my
co-workers
can
give
more
thorough
testimony
in
relation
to
those
specific
experiences.
T
We
have
to
substantially
separate
programs,
and
we
only
have
101
is
in
September
out
of
500
elementary
students
are
currently
4,
ie
EPS
in
general,
education,
six,
seventh
and
eighth
grade
resource
room
teachers
are
also
prohibited
from
adequately
servicing
the
students
that
are
sorry
servicing
theirs
students,
as
outlined
in
their
IEP
s,
because
their
pullout
servers
are
not
allowed,
but
by
next
year
our
support
staff
will
be
cut
in
half,
so,
in
short,
our
students
definitely
deserve
special
education
support.
We
also
need
to
find
ensure
that
we
can
execute
that
successfully.
Thank
you.
A
U
My
name
is
Anton
Etta,
Brunel
and
I
am
a
proud
parent
of
my
son
and
my
other
son.
We
just
got
into
the
Curtis
Kyle
school,
so
I'm
really
excited
about
that
great
school.
Some,
a
parent
of
a
child
there,
but
I'm.
Also
a
teacher
at
the
Conley
elementary
school
and
I
had
the
pleasure
of
participating
in
the
btu
teacher
leader
program.
A
couple
of
years.
Back,
we
did
send
out,
invites
to
kind
of
get
people
to
come
and
listen
to
research.
U
U
So
the
purpose
of
the
study
is
to
identify
improvements
to
the
early
childhood
education
delivery
in
inclusion
classrooms,
especially
kindergarten,
not
only
traditional
Ketu,
but
also
what
is
commonly
labeled
preschool,
which
is
k0
k1
within
the
Boston
Public
Schools
data
for
the
study
was
collected
from
surveys
of
inclusion
instruction
participants
in
bps,
including
classroom
teachers,
inclusion
specialists
and
early
childhood
supervisors,
as
well
as
principals
and
parents.
Now
the
questionnaire
investigated
how
prepared
educators
are
to
teach
students
with
special
needs
both
from
excuse
me,
resources
perspective,
as
well
as
planning
and
experience
standpoint.
U
In
addition,
the
questionnaire
examined
pathways
for
student
entry
and
placement
into
inclusion
classroom.
It
was
concluded
that
insufficient
instructional
aide
exists
for
students
with
special
needs
and
that
testing
and
placement
of
students
with
special
needs
is
needed.
As
a
backdrop
to
the
study,
the
national
data
and
research
we
obtained
was
from
the
Proceedings
of
the
National
Academy
of
Science,
as
well
as
research
from
the
center
of
the
developing
child
at
Harvard
University.
U
This
research
emphasizes
the
importance
of
early
intervention
in
education
of
children
with
special
needs
and
contrast
current
practice,
which
defers
attention
with
an
ideal
that
translates
into
an
improved
learning
outcome
and
student
earnings
potential,
as
well
as
long-term
savings
to
federal
and
state
systems.
It
was
concluded
that
bps
should
increase
investment
in
early
childhood
in
early
childhood
inclusion
in
a
number
of
tangible
ways,
including
providing
pathways
for
paraprofessional
education,
increased
utilization
of
inclusion,
specialist
in
k0
k1,
improved,
improved
screening
and
placement
of
children
and
establishment
of
possibly
separate
three-year-old
classrooms.
U
The
two
most
comprehensive,
longitudinal
studies
on
the
subject
show
a
direct
correlation
between
early
intervention
and
increased
educational
outcomes,
reduce
special
education
needs
and
overall
cost
savings
across
systems.
In
addition,
inclusion
services
are
most
effective
when
implemented
early
in
a
consistent
manner
and
with
sufficient
resources
and
time
for
planning
and
communication
in
2014,
the
Department
of
elementary
and
secondary
education
released
bps
special
education
statistics
that
illustrated
three
important
areas
of
improvement,
especially
in
regards
to
early
childhood
education
and
inclusion
practices.
U
One
of
them
was
the
expansion
of
inclusion,
opportunities
and
programs
skirting
away
from
the
historical
placement
of
more
than
40%
with
disabilities
in
substantially
separate
classrooms
to
a
revaluation
of
how
inclusion
specialists
are
deployed,
potentially
spending
their
work
in
K,
0,
K,
1
and
providing
parity
between
K
2
and
K
1.
With
regards
to
typical
children
with
those
on
IEP
s.
Currently,
60%
of
our
students
in
K
0
K
1
are
typical
as
Tresa
with
k2,
which
is
75%
coupled
with
testing
and
placement
inadequacies.
U
These
ratios
are
often
skewed
towards
a
50/50
ratio
between
typical
and
IEP
children
in
k0
k1,
also
a
three-year-old
and
IEP
percent
added
needs
for
the
current
level
of
service
of
one
teacher
and
one
paraprofessional
that
are
ill-equipped
to
meet
reducing
the
efficiency
of
the
entire
classroom
learning
environment
as
supported
from
the
survey
I'm
kind
of
going
to
skip
the
methodology
because
of
time.
But
the
results
in
the
conclusion
show
that
most
classrooms
have
a
lack
of
resources
to
support
students
with
disabilities.
There's
not
enough.
U
Educational
support
staff
and
existing
support
staff
are
not
properly
trained
for
special
education
classrooms.
Also,
there's
a
high
rate
of
special
education
referrals
overall
educators
were
positive
about
educating
students
with
disabilities
in
a
general
education
setting,
but
they've
also
expressed
a
concern
regarding
how
best
to
meet
the
educational
objectives
with
limited
resources.
Many
educators
preferred
a
model
consisting
of
general
education,
teacher,
special
education,
teacher
and
paraprofessional,
so
some
of
the
recommendations
are
elevated.
U
Early
intervention
programs
may
be
implement
and
Ettore
screenings
prior
to
k1
entry
to
inform
proper
placement
of
students
in
environment
that
will
best
support
their
needs,
provide
increased
opportunities
and
incentives
for
paraprofessional
education
and
training.
Increased
special
education
delivery
in
inclusion
classrooms,
expand
inclusion,
specialist
roles
to
include
early
childhood
classrooms
in
k0
k1
and
strive
for
the
two
teacher
model:
one
paraprofessional
provider,
one
teacher
with
dual
education:
special
need,
certification
or
two
highly
qualified
trained
paraprofessionals
level.
U
Excuse
me
on
the
level
of
a
one-to-one
pair
rate
because
of
their
work
and
an
early
childhood
setting
and
there's
one
thing.
I
wanted
to
add
here
so
part
of
the
two
studies
I
just
want
to.
This
is
the
last
thing
I'm
going
to
say,
but
the
research
that
was
investigated.
It
was
by
the
apse
adair
Ian's
study,
and
it
demonstrates
that
investment
in
early
childhood
education
plays
pays
sizeable
dividends
later,
not
only
to
individual
learners,
but
also
to
society
at
large.
U
If
we
can
establish
sustained
impact
in
the
lives
of
our
early
learners,
it
will
transform
the
outcome
of
their
entire
life,
opening
up
opportunities
for
success
that
they
may
not
otherwise
have
known.
It
will
not
only
propel
individuals
forward
by
increasing
their
capacity
to
achieve,
but
it
will
elevate
our
entire
society
also.
So
we
must
look
beyond
our
immediate
bottom
line
to
consider
the
true
cost
of
funding
decisions
we
make
today,
because
the
converse
to
be
shared
vision
of
opportunity
is
also
true
by
not
spending
money
more
money
early,
we
forfeit
our
bright
future.
U
V
Good
evening
and
thank
you
at
councillors,
asabi
George
and
councillor
Janey
for
organizing
this
hearing,
my
name
is
Eileen.
Carver
I've
been
a
teacher
in
the
Boston
Public
Schools
since
the
mid
1990s
I'm.
Also
a
parent
of
two
bps
graduates.
I,
currently
teach
second
grade
at
the
Dudley
Street
School
in
Roxbury
I
have
worked
at
seven
different
bps
schools.
In
the
20
years
that
I've
been
a
teacher.
Often
the
reason
I
decided
to
leave
a
school
had
to
do
with
the
poor
treatment
of
students
with
special
needs.
V
I
felt,
like
I,
was
complicit
working
in
contexts
that
did
not
begin
to
meet
the
needs
of
the
range
of
learners
before
us
and
I
refused
to
participate
in
it.
The
problem
was
not
that
teachers
weren't
working
as
hard
as
they
possibly
could,
but
rather
that
they
were
insufficient
servants.
Services
to
meet
our
students
needs
at
the
Dudley
Street
School,
where
I
work.
V
Now
we
have
more
learning
specialists
than
some
schools
have
to
assist
with
servicing
our
most
challenged
students,
but
still
it
is
not
sufficient,
and
next
year
we
are
losing
one
learning
specialist
due
to
budget
cuts.
I
am
one
of
those
teachers
I
think
you've
heard
about
who
are
triple
certified
I
have
my
regular
education
certification
for
teaching
children
with
moderate
disabilities
and
I'm
certified
to
teach
English
language
learners?
There
are
many
of
us.
However,
it
is
not
possible
to
meet
the
needs
of
2025
students
in
one
classroom,
with
only
a
single
teacher.
V
To
give
just
one
example,
if
you
have
a
student
whose
IEP
states
that
that
they
require
a
rule
based
reading
program
as
many
struggling
readers
do,
this
intervention
requires
one
teacher
and
no
more
than
one
to
two
students.
Otherwise
it
doesn't
work.
If
you
are
a
single
teacher
in
a
classroom,
you
can't
possibly
provide
this
service
and
the
result
is
that
a
child
who
need
this
kind
of
program
and
doesn't
get
it
does
not
learn
how
to
read
the
children
who
reach
high
school
and
are
reading
at
a
2nd
or
3rd
grade
level.
V
It
is
because
they
didn't
get
the
services
and
support
they
needed
when
they
were
young.
Insufficient
services
lead
to
more
and
more
of
our
children
entering
the
school-to-prison
pipeline,
and
that
is
not
acceptable.
The
purpose
of
an
IEP
is
to
provide
access
to
students
to
education
without
adequate
support
and
services.
There
is
no
access.
The
current
fight
in
Boston
over
what
model
we
should
have
for
inclusion
is
all
about
resources.
We
know
what
works.
V
We
have
the
Henderson
most
of
the
Haley
school,
the
Manning,
the
Mary
Lyons,
all
of
whom
have
two
teachers
in
every
classroom,
a
model
that
allows
students
with
a
wide
range
of
abilities
to
get
their
needs
met
as
teachers.
We
need
the
expertise
of
the
professional
staff
who
service
our
students,
the
speech
and
language
therapists,
the
occupational
therapists,
the
school
psychologists,
etc.
A
student
whose
IEP
says
they
need
speech.
Services
might,
for
example,
receive
it
for
30
minutes
once
or
twice
a
week.
V
This
student
is
unlikely
to
make
significant
improvement
unless
the
speech
and
language
professional
has
the
time
in
her
his
schedule
to
consult
with
the
classroom
teacher
and
advise
them
how
to
embed
the
strategies
they
are
using
into
the
everyday
life
of
the
classroom.
But
in
Boston
these
professionals
typically
work
at
a
bunch
of
schools
and
their
caseloads
are
determined
by
IEP
minutes.
They
have
no
time
to
talk
to
teachers
and
our
students
are
being
shortchanged
under
the
federal
law.
V
V
I
work
with
a
kosis,
a
coordinator
of
special
education
who
this
past
month
this
past
month,
ran
61
IEP
meetings
at
four
different
schools
in
Road,
fifty-two
reports,
her
knowledge
and
expertise
about
serving
children
with
special
needs
are
not
able
to
be
used
in
meeting
meetings
with
families
or
with
teachers.
Her
job
is
solely
to
hold
meetings
and
crank
out
reports.
V
V
Let
this
be
the
time
when
we
join
together
and
say
that
all
students
and
families
in
Boston
deserve
and
need
to
have
what
students
in
Brookline,
Newton
and
Needham
count
on
schools
that
prepare
them
with
21st
century
skills
and
can
support
the
growth
and
healthy
development
of
every
child
they
serve.
Finally,
I
want
to
say
that
I
am
a
proud
Btu
member.
V
W
I
can
say
from
parents
that
I
have
heard
speaking
earlier,
because
I
can
relate
to
those
parents
that
came
in
and
have
3
and
4
year
olds
that
are
trying
to
get
services
and
being
told
they
just
need
to
come
in
to
the
programs
and
see
where
they'll
go
and
then
I
listen
to
other
parents,
say
I
have
a
daughter
that
wants
to
go
to
the
prom.
Well,
guess
what
so
doesn't
my
daughter
and
that's
not
an
opportunity
of
where
she
is
Boston
doesn't
offer
those
opportunities
in
their
sub
separate
settings.
W
They
don't
offer
it
in
their
particular
classroom.
Styles
I've
been
in
Boston
Public
Schools
as
an
employee
for
the
last
19
years.
I
have
now
had
a
child
in
the
program
for
five
years,
so
I'm
on
both
sides
of
that
line,
and
my
a
mom
or
my
a
teacher.
It's
a
very
fine
line
to
walk
it's
a
very
difficult
line
to
walk
when
I
step
over
a
threshold,
and
my
mom
today
in
this
meeting
or
am
I
going
to
be.
The
educator
I
have
looked
at
a
number
of
schools.
I
have
been
in
two
schools.
W
W
I
did
find
schools
that
she
did
fit
into
that
where,
within
Boston
public
school
settings
there
were
three
year
wait,
but
to
get
into
that
three
year
wait,
her
IEP
needs
to
be
particular.
This
needs
to
be
required.
This
needs
to
be
required.
I
fully
understand.
The
law
needs
to
be
made,
but
why
am
those
settings
that
are
in
those
school
systems
and
a
lot
more
I
heard
three
schools
today
that
were
Henderson
Burke
and
the
Lions?
How
many
more
Boston
Public
Schools
can't
be
like
that?
W
Why
can't
we
have
children
be
able
to
go
to
a
prom
and
not
have
to
worry
about
bars
on
the
windows?
Go
through
a
metal
detector.
These
schools
don't
have
that
they're.
Full
inclusion
everywhere
I
went
to
one
school
and
had
a
tour
and
I
had
the
to
a
person
say
to
me:
wouldn't
it
be
nice
to
go
to
a
football
game
on
a
Friday
night
in
your
daughter,
be
a
cheerleader.
It
would
be
nice
but
she's
8
right
now.
W
So
when
she
comes
out
at
22,
maybe
she
will
be
a
cheerleader,
but
she
doesn't
have
that
opportunity
to
do
this
because
there's
no
space,
there's
no
room
I'm
on
a
list.
I
have
to
wait.
You're,
two
minutes
from
neighborhood
places
that
offer
these
things,
but
yet
my
daughter's
on
the
bus
for
an
hour
and
a
half
and
the
afternoon
trying
to
come
home
because
that's
where
her
IEP
reads
she
fits,
but
that's
not
where
she
fits
for
my
family
I
work
with
the
education
teachers.
W
I
work
with
the
people
that
are
doing
all
these
IEP
meetings.
I
now
coordinate
afternoon,
ABA
outside
spot
outside
therapies,
outside
horseback
riding
I.
Do
all
of
that,
because
it's
not
available
in
every
school
I
understand
it's
not
available
in
every
school,
but
the
ones
that
do
have
it.
Why
isn't
the
opportunity
given
to
anyone
and
not
be
kept
back
that
that
doesn't
fit?
It
doesn't
work?
What
doesn't
work
one
of
the
guidelines
to
get
there?
Is
it
money?
Is
it
the
system,
but
in
three
schools,
great
experiences,
all
three
schools?
W
They
have
done
everything
in
their
power
with
their
budget,
their
staff
and
their
knowledge
to
give
my
daughter
exactly
what
she
needs,
but
the
system
doesn't
work.
Something
needs
to
be
looked
at
because
I
can
see
myself
at
20
thing.
Why
doesn't
my
daughter
have
an
opportunity
to
go
to
a
prom?
Why
can't
she?
Some
people
have
no
my
daughter
since
she's
three
they're
sitting
in
the
audience
my
daughter
came
into
school.
Not
speaking,
I
was
interrupted.
Excuse
me
with
sign
language
in
words
and
asked
for
help.
I
said
to
Zack
Zack,
remember
Maya.
W
She
couldn't
speak
when
you
met
her
5
years
ago.
He
hadn't
seen
her.
In
a
few
years
we
had
a
whole
conversation
and
she
used
a
communication
device
and
had
a
conversation
with
Zack
and
I
said
Zack.
What
do
you
think
about
inclusion?
What
do
you
think
about
this?
What
do
you
think
about
that?
You
met
Maya,
a
three.
She
came
in
biting
people.
She
came
in
doing
this.
She
came
in
doing
that.
You
know
what
let's
look
at
the
opportunities
of
where
we
are
with
your
help
and
I.
Thank
you.
W
We
are
where
we
are
we're
getting
there,
we're
not
where
we
should
be,
but
we're
getting
where
we
need
to
be
for
any
child.
Anybody
in
the
Boston
Public
Schools
I
do
look
at
it
that
the
22
children
in
my
classroom
they're,
my
kids,
that's
how
I
treat
them
I
hope
that
any
one
class
of
my
daughter
goes
in.
They
treat
her
the
same
way
that
it's
their
child,
but
I
do
have
to
say,
and
thank
you
to
the
staff
of
the
Advocate
to
the
coordinators,
to
the
bps
people
in
the
building
building
I.
W
Thank
you.
Many
of
you
may
know
my
name,
you
may
know
who
I
am
I
made
out
of
met.
You
I
may
have
spoken
to
you
on
the
phone
honestly
there's
a
lot
of
people
that
I've
talked
to,
but
I
don't
know
who
you
are
I
may
not
have
talked
to,
but
I'm
not
going
anywhere.
My
daughter
can't
speak
in
this
box
of
crayons
she's,
the
yellow
one,
that's
upside
down,
because
that's
her
color
she's
a
crayon,
but
she
doesn't
fit
inside
your
box.
W
W
It's
getting
more
complicated
and
it's
not
just
autism,
it's
this!
That
goes
with
it
and
that
that
goes
with
it,
but
you're
high
EP.
There
wasn't
even
enough
lines
for
me
to
write
down
what
I
needed
to
it's.
Not
there
I,
don't
even
have
the
opportunity
to
tell
you
who
my
daughter
is
because
it's
not
even
on
your
papers.
W
So
if
you
are
representing
us
and
I
would
love
to
move,
I
would
love
to
move
out
of
Boston,
but
you
know
why
I
don't
move,
because
I
need
Boston,
Children's
Hospital
to
be
15
minutes
from
my
house,
because
my
daughter
does
stop
breathing,
she
does
die,
but
she
gets
brought
back.
That's
why
I
don't
leave,
because
that's
why
I
can't
leave
and
move
out
of
Boston,
because
I
need
the
hospital
and
I
was
have
been
in
bps
for
a
very
long
time
as
a
graduate
of
Boston
Public
Schools.
W
Let
me
try
it
with
my
daughter:
I
need
your
help,
there's
a
lot
more
people
that
I've
talked
to
that
couldn't
be
here
tonight
that
needs
your
help.
I've
been
doing
it
since
she's
turned
three
she's
going
to
be
nine
in
less
than
two
months,
I'm
gonna
be
here
till
she's
22,
so
I'm
probably
going
to
see
people
again
in
the
future.
Again,
my
name
is
Barbara
and
I.
Thank
you
for
what
you
do
on
behalf
of
my
daughter
and
any
other
daughter
or
son.
It
can't
be
here.
A
X
Name
is
Ruby
Reyes
I'm,
the
director
of
the
Boston
education,
justice
Alliance,
but
I'm
here
to
talk
on
behalf
of
nomade
Rodriguez
who's,
a
mother
of
three
children
in
East,
Boston,
she's,
also
a
Spanish
speaker
and
so
she's
had
to
navigate
the
system
in
Spanish
as
her
primary
language
and
has
also
had
to
do
many
of
the
ferocious
activism
on
behalf
of
her
children,
but
in
a
different
language.
And
so
she
asked
me
to
speak
on
her
behalf
because
she
needed
to
leave.
X
X
They've
slowly
cut
his
time
the
school
psychologist,
and
in
that
way
he
can't
afford
to
continue
working
for
the
district,
and
so
she
will
be
losing
that
school
psychologist
at
the
Edison
and
that's
one
of
the
ways
that
budget
shrinking
affects
eServices
is
that
staff
that
provide
these
critical
roles
are
having
their
their
time
cut
in
terms
of
them.
Traveling
in
these
different
schools
and
offices
offering
these
services
her.
X
Other
son
is
here's
a
smaller
IEP
with
less
severe
needs,
and
he
goes
to
a
school
where
he
is
able
to
have
a
variety
of
different
activities
like
arts
and
Taekwondo,
and-
and
it's
helped
him
a
lot
in
terms
of
using
different
parts
of
his
brain
and
being
able
to
express
his
ideas
and
his
feelings
and
and
a
lot
of
those
services
are
also
being
cut.
Mbps
just
generally,
and
so.
I
also
want
to
call
attention
to,
even
though
special
education
services
are
are
shrinking.
X
There's
also
the
reality
that
all
the
other
services
that
children
in
these
schools
are
able
to
really
be
able
to
use
such
as
the
arts,
such
as
physical
activities,
that
help
their
development
and
their
growth
are
also
being
cut
through
other
areas
of
the
budget.
So
her
other
child
goes
to
school
at
the
Otis
in
East
Boston.
X
She
asked
me
to
talk
particularly
about
parents
who
have
special
education,
children
that
live
in
East
Boston
in
our
being
having
their
children
shipped
to
other
parts
of
the
city
that
are
really
far
so
because
one
of
her
children
goes
to
East
Boston.
It
lives
in
East
Boston
and
goes
to
school
in
Brighton.
X
She
has
to
travel
significantly
through
two
trains
and
a
bus
to
get
to
special
education
meetings,
and
even
if
there
is
an
issue,
she's
not
able
to
get
to
the
school
quickly
and
and
it
you
know
in
Boston,
it
doesn't
really
matter
whether
you
have
a
car.
Some
places
are
inaccessible
in
East
Boston,
in
particular,
is
an
area
that
is
kind
of
on
its
own
and
those.
X
So
she
asked
particular
that
different
special
education
services
be
looked
at
in
terms
of
where
the
child
lives,
in
order
to
make
it
accessible
for
a
family
to
be
able
to
respond
to
the
needs
of
their
child
quickly.
So
if
she
lives
in
East
Boston
she's
able
to
get
to
her
child's
school,
who
goes
to
the
Otis,
if
there's
like
a
behavioral
need
or
if
there's
a
medical
need,
but
she's
not
able
to
do
that
in
Brighton
and
she's,
also
not
able
to
travel
to
three
different
schools
to
attend
different
parent
meetings
or
IEP
meetings.
X
She
just
expressed
a
lot
of
frustration
with
the
IEP
process.
She
suggested
that
a
bus
monitor
be
included
in
all
IEP
processes,
just
to
make
things
easier
for
most
families.
Most
families
don't
realize
that
you
can
request
a
bus
monitor
in
your
IEP
to
help
your
child
as
they
travel
back
and
forth,
and
it
would
actually
help
ease
the
budget
in
the
sense
that
if
there
was
a
bus
monitor
dedicated
to
each
bus
route,
it
would
alleviate
some
of
that
IEP
process
of
having
a
request
and
individuals
specifically
for
a
specific
child.
X
Because
a
lot
of
times,
the
bus
routes
will
have
different
aged
children,
and
so
you'll
have
like
a
five
year
old
or
a
seven
year
old,
and
sometimes
the
violence
that
happens
with
bullying
and
whatnot
can
be
easily
mitigated
with
a
monitor,
but
not
with
a
driver.
And
finally
it's
you
know
it's
particularly
frustrating
and
hard
to
have
a
child
with
special
needs.
And
you
know
the
lack
of
resources
are
having
to
figure
out
how
to
get.
Resources
is
also
particularly
frustrating.
X
Who's
been
supporting
her
child
for
a
year
now
and
been
really
helpful
in
not
only
helping
her
child
from
one
year
to
the
next,
but
also
helping
her
and
her
family
to
kind
of
navigate
whose
special
needs
at
home
to
have
that
person
taken
away
because
of
school
budget
cuts
is
even
more
infuriating.
So
there's
frustration
at
all
levels,
which
you
know
in
turn
affects
a
family
structure
but
also
affects
a
relationship
with
a
school
system.
So
thank
you.
Y
Good
evening
my
name
is
Lisa
Ranga
and
I
am
a
first
grade
teacher
at
the
Blackstone
School.
Thank
you
for
giving
me
the
time
to
testify
it's
very
refreshing
to
know
that
there
are
people
that
care
what
we
have
to
say,
and
so
it's
really
nice
to
have
a
place
to
say
my
truth.
I
want
to
also
thank
all
of
the
parents
that
testified
tonight.
Y
They
I'm
humbled
by
their
stories
and
a
lot
of
them
mentioned
that
they
have
maybe
the
information
or
the
time
to
figure
out
what
students
need
and
I'm
here
and
I
hope
I
do
a
justice
to
help
families
that
actually
don't
have
that
information
or
may
not
know
what
they
have
access
to
and
and
speak
on
their
behalf.
As
a
teacher,
the
slogan
for
bps
is
focus
on
children
and
I
really
wish
that
was
true.
Y
The
slogan
could
be,
you
know,
focus
on
power
or
focus
on
you
know,
keeping
comfortable
chairs
for
in
the
the
bowling
building
or
I,
don't
know
seats
on
a
school
committee,
but
right
now
it
doesn't
feel
like
it's
focused
on
children
and
it's
incredibly
frustrating
at
the
Blackstone
this
year.
Our
budget
was
eviscerated,
we
lost
four
hundred
thousand
dollars
and
the
first
thing
to
go
was
special
education
teachers
we
lost
half,
some
people
may
be
shocked
and
they
should
be
I
should
be
shocked,
but
sometimes
I'm
barely
surprised.
Y
My
school
also
has
an
inclusion
program
and
I.
Actually
before
I
came
to
Boston
I
taught
in
New
York
and
I
taught
an
inclusion
program
with
two
full-time
teachers,
and
it
was
an
amazing
experience.
We
had
students
with
disabilities
and
they
had
the
opportunity
to
learn
with
and
from
their
peers.
Both
the
students
on
IEP
s
and
the
general
education
students
benefited
from
having
two
teachers
and
having
the
services
provided
in
the
classroom.
Students
Warren
didn't
have
to
leave
the
classroom
to
get
their
services.
It
was
amazing,
and
you
know
in
Boston
we
have.
Y
There
were
at
least
in
my
school
I
should
say.
I
know
there
are
some
schools
that
have
two
teachers.
My
school
has
a
teacher
in
a
para
and
the
apero
is
a
phenomenal
resource.
We
are
lucky
and
grateful
for
them,
but
unfortunately
it's
just
not
enough-
and
you
guys
have
mentioned
that
before
so.
I
really
appreciate
that
the
intention
of
inclusion
is
really
wonderful.
I
just
wish
we
had
the
implementation.
Y
They
need
us
plainly
so
I'm
here
to
advocate
for
teacher
inclusion
and
making
sure
that
students
get
everything
on
their
IEP
when
they're
supposed
to
get
it.
I
understand
that
things
can't
happen
right
away.
It's
a
huge
district
with
a
lot
of
students,
but
waiting
months
and
months
to
get
evaluated
or
waiting
months
and
months
to
get
what's
on
a
504
polaron
plan
or
an
IEP
just
isn't
acceptable.
So
thank
you.
K
Thank
you
very
much
for
the
opportunity
to
speak
tonight.
It's
not
often
that
as
a
parent
in
the
bps
system,
I
feel
heard.
So
thank
you
and
I
appreciate
everyone
who
is
here
today
to
listen.
I
am
the
parent.
My
name
is
Katherine
brewer,
Jamaica,
Plain
resident
and
a
proud
parent
of
two
kids,
both
teens
in
different
high
schools
in
bps,
both
are
diagnosed
with
high
cognitive
autism,
which
seems
to
be
a
real
challenge
for
this
particular
school
system.
K
My
kids
look
fine,
but
they're,
not
fine,
that's
why
they
have
IEP
s
and
we
continually
experience
professionals
ignoring
their
IEP
s
because
they
don't
see
an
issue
when
an
issue
occurs,
they
get
they
blame
my
children
or
my
family.
Oh
it's
just
a
family
issue.
Instead
of
looking
at
the
reams
of
documentation,
we
have
provided
I,
moved,
tear
and
moved
my
family
here,
because
this
is
Boston,
we
are
Boston.
This
is
not
okay.
This
is
autism
awareness
day.
K
We
don't
blame
children
for
their
disabilities.
We
don't
blame
their
families
for
their
disabilities.
We
don't
decide
outside
of
IEP
team
processes
that
your
child
doesn't
need
it.
It's
not
okay.
This
is
Boston.
This
is
why
we
came
I
have
since
left
working
for
a
quasi
part
of
city
of
Boston,
because
I
full-time
support,
my
kids,
because
they
don't
get
the
services
that
they
need,
even
with
their
IE
he's
most
recent.
Well
one
kid
in
exam
school,
he
went
for
four
years
through
the
process,
no
one
paying
him
any
attention.
K
Most
times
no
spent
teacher,
even
in
the
room
he
played
video
games
with
his
allotted
IEP
sped
time.
We
have
an
advocate,
we
speak
out,
we're
educated.
We
do
all
this.
We
fight,
we
fight,
we
fight
and
we
finally
moved
from
that
14
through
17
bracket,
that
our
kids
that'll
go
on
a
trajectory,
the
same
people
who
wouldn't
service
my
son
now
all
of
a
sudden
like
why
can't
he
get
through
the
college
application
process?
Why
can't
he
do
this?
Why
can't
he
do
that?
They're
calling
me
now
they're.
K
Finally,
wanting
to
communicate
now
he's
in
a
fifth
year
which
I'm
very
grateful
for
and
I'm
very
happy
about,
but
he's
still
tied
to
the
school
that
never
provided
him
services
in
the
first
place.
My
other
son
started
at
that
school.
We
have
since
then
moved
him
and
we
were
very
hopeful
and
we
were
very
excited
about
his
new
school,
which
is
helping
in
a
lot
of
ways,
but
even
at
this
school
they
even
documented
in
his
progress
reports.
We
don't
see
any
issues
so
we're
not
providing
these
services.
K
I
mean
come
on
they're
in
an
IEP.
You
don't
wait
in
C.
What
does
wait-and-see
look
like
for
my
kid?
It
could
mean
a
trip
to
the
emergency
room
because
he
is
like
another
parents,
child
that
spoke
he's
an
internalized
er.
He
brings
it
all
home
and
we
deal
with
it.
I
can't
stop
shaking.
Sometimes,
when
I
have
to
ask
my
kid
to
do
something
because
I'm
like
is
this
the
day,
he's
gonna
throw
something
at
me
because
he
brings
all
the
stress
home.
I
don't
work
anymore.
I
was
the
primary
caregiver.
K
I
mean
the
primary
breadwinner.
It
is
for
Boston's,
expensive,
there's
stress
on
our
family
is
tremendous
and
I
still
and
the
one
working
with
those
kids
more
than
the
services
at
school.
My
second
child
also
Trane's,
and
I
recently
found
out
at
a
doctor's
office
visit
for
something
completely
different,
that
the
headaches
that
he's
been
experiencing
were
from
dehydration
and
again
we
have
an
ASD
kid
who
looks
fine,
but
I
wish
stress.
K
Autism
is
invisible.
You
don't
see
it
it's
how
your
brain
is
wired.
So
when
providers
make
decisions
because
they
don't
see
anything,
how
do
they
see
an
invisible
disability?
You
see
it
because
we
bring
you
paperwork,
you
see
it
because
of
this.
You
don't
not
give
a
kid
insulin
because
you
don't
see
their
diabetes.
This
is
what
my
child
needs.
So
recently,
this
kid
with
ASD
and
a
additional
social
anxiety
disorder,
as
well
as
having
gender
identity
issues.
K
We
learned
was
dehydrated
and
had
chosen
not
to
intake
water
during
the
day
because
he
couldn't
figure
out
how
to
get
to
the
bathrooms
at
school.
So
his
only
choice
from
his
perspective
was
to
take
on
the
problem
himself,
so
he
stopped
drinking
water
or
any
kind
of
liquid.
This
is
what
happens
to
the
kids.
K
These
are
great
professionals.
They
are
definitely
over.
You
know
it's
they've
got
too
much
to
do,
but
they're
also
really
untrained,
pull
together.
Parents
ask
parents
to
come
into
the
schools,
talk
to
the
teachers.
Talk
I
mean
there's
a
great
resource
here
and
we'd
love
to
to
help
in
some
way.
It's
a
very
powerless
feeling
to
feel
like
this
is
all
happening
to
my
kid.
At
school
and
I
can't
do
anything
about
it.
A
Z
About
seven
weeks
ago,
we
were
able
to
have
a
meeting
between
our
Humana
Academy
staff,
bici
representatives
and
assistant
superintendent,
science
and
Lombardi
Anne
in
preparation
for
that
meeting.
The
Amana
building
reps
sent
out
a
survey
to
all
staff
to
assess
their
concerns
and
have
been
continuously
collecting
incidents
as
they
occur
in
regards
to
many
different
things,
but
many
of
them
are
in
regards
to
special
education
and
IEP
s.
These
are
first-hand
accounts
from
teachers
and
paraprofessionals
who
were
involved
and
they
were
compiled
and
given
to
the
assistant
superintendents
and
our
Btu
field
reps.
Z
Parent
requests
tend
to
disappear
once
handed
in
to
the
coordinator
or
administrative
team.
Many
times
these
individuals
on
the
special
ed
and
administration
teams
call
parents
and
students
to
school
to
scare
them
out
of
having
their
child
evaluated.
They
tell
parents
that
teachers
want
their
students
out
of
their
rooms
in
some
cases
in
front
of
the
student,
and
if
they
continue
with
the
evaluation,
their
child
will
never
be
admitted
to
college.
This
causes
significant
challenges
and
relationships
between
teachers
and
parents,
as
well
as
teachers
and
students.
Z
Z
The
first
one
is
during
during
the
week
of
February
4th
a
parent
sent
a
written
request.
Have
her
son
evaluated
for
special
education
services
later
that
week?
The
special
education
coordinator
approached
this
teacher
in
the
copy
room,
with
some
follow-up
questions
about
the
SST
referral,
with
the
understanding
that
we
have
45
days
to
complete
the
evaluation
I
asked
the
coordinator
for
this
teacher
asked
the
coordinator
for
the
timeline
for
next
steps.
The
coordinator
responded
by
asking
my
knowledge
about
certain
special
education
laws.
Where
I
got
my
special
education
license
and
what
coursework
I
had
completed.
Z
On
about
a
month
later,
the
coordinator
approached
the
same
teacher
in
the
copy
room
to
make
a
comment
and
made
a
comment
that
people
don't
often
know
the
difference
between
special
education
and
bad
teaching.
When
the
seizure
made
it
clear
that
she
took
the
comment
personally,
the
coordinator
said
that
she
must
have
misunderstood
and
misunderstood
what
she
said
and
apologized.
Z
The
teacher
was
notified
of
an
so
I'll
read
it
in
the
first
person,
because
it's
how
it
was
written
I
was
notified
of
an
annual
IEP
review
for
one
of
my
students.
One
week
before
the
meeting
day,
I
arrived
at
the
meeting
on
time.
The
only
person
who
was
there
was
the
resource
room
teacher
and
we
waited
for
30
minutes
before
leaving
as
I
walked
down
the
hallways
back
to
the
classroom.
The
special
education
coordinator,
yelled
my
name
from
the
other
end
of
the
hallway.
Z
She
insisted
that
I
return
and
complete
the
meeting
I
am
firm.
True
that
I
had
to
return
to
my
class
because
there
was
no
coverage
for
the
next
block.
I
had
arranged
my
own
coverage
with
a
paraprofessional
in
the
neighboring
classroom.
Very
little
coverage
is
ever
provided
for
classroom
teachers
to
attend
their
own
IEP
meetings,
miss
Bihar,
sorry,
the
special
education
coordinator
became
irate
and
became
shouting
at
her
abeyance.
Shouting
at
me.
Still
from
the
other
end
of
the
hallway
that
I
was
inconsiderate
and
that
everyone
is
guilty
of
being
late.
Z
She
accused
me
of
being
holier-than-thou.
I
walked,
I,
began,
walking
towards
her
and
told
her.
We
would
have
to
reschedule
the
meeting
she
mumbled
something
under
her
breath
and
walked
into
her
office
away
from
me,
I
returned
to
my
class
and
later
that
day,
I
followed
up
with
the
occupational
therapist,
whose
name
was
on
the
list
to
attend
the
IEP
review.
Z
She
explained
that
she
had
contacted
the
coordinator
the
week
before
to
remind
her
that
she,
the
ot,
was
not
going
to
be
able
to
attend
the
meeting
because
she
was
assigned
to
work
at
another
school.
The
afternoon
the
IEP
meeting
was
scheduled.
The
coordinator
approached
the
OT
and
asked
for
an
update
on
the
student.
Then
the
coordinator
asked
the
OT
to
sign
a
paper
to
show
that
they
had
discussed
the
child.
The
resource
room
teacher
was
also
approached
in
this
manner
and
asked
to
sign
the
paper.
Z
I
walked
away,
I,
never
received
any
notification
of
rescheduling
this
meeting
and
when
I
reached
out
of
the
parent,
they
claimed
that
they
had
no
awareness
that
an
and
or
review
meeting
was
scheduled
to
take
place.
I
later
learned
that
this
is
a
violation
of
special
education
law,
and
this
is
the
last
one,
I
promise.
Z
That
I
was
on
the
schedule
to
meet
with
SST
I
inquired
about
coverage,
since
I
was
scheduled
to
teach
students
during
SST
time,
I
never
got
a
response
and
asked
to
college
who
college
a
colleague
who
had
be
indeed
during
that
block
to
cover
my
class,
so
I
could
attend
during
the
meeting
I
brought
copies
of
the
student
profile
to
share
with
each
SST
member
and
reviewed
the
information.
Our
principal
entered.
Z
The
meeting
five
minutes
before
we
were
scheduled
to
end
I
filled
her
in
on
the
student
and
my
concerns
when
she
saw
that
the
child's
eld
level
was
a
three.
She
being
at
me
saying
that
there's
an
over-representation
of
English
language
learners
on
IEP
s
and
that
parents
are
being
quote
tricked
into
testing
and
that
parents
in
our
community
don't
fully
understand
what
it
means
to
have
their
child
evaluated.
Z
She
said
that
I
needed
to
complete
more
interventions
check
back
after
middle
of
the
year
benchmark,
testing
I
did
as
she
instructed
and
when
the
child
made
no
reading
growth
I
submitted
another
request
to
meet
with
SST.
Six
weeks
later,
I
was
invited
back
to
SST
again
having
to
find
my
own
coverage
and
again
bruh
updated
copies
of
the
student
profile
to
share
with
the
team
the
principal
and
the
special
ed
coordinator,
both
insulted.
Z
My
choice
in
intervention
told
me
I
wasn't
doing
enough
during
our
start
time,
which
is
supposed
to
be
reading
intervention,
but
is
largely
unstructured
time
and
I
informed
them
that
I
had
been
trained
in
that
specific
specific
intervention
during
my
Master's
coursework
I
also
reminded
them
that
I
had
used
the
intervention
with
other
students
who
had
showed
progress.
I
was
told
that
the
student
was
quote
not
eligible
for
evaluation
because
of
her
Ald
level
and
I
was
told
that
I
was
quote
insensitive
to
the
needs
of
the
community
for
referring
a
child
for
evaluation.
Z
I
left
a
meeting
in
tears
and
felt
so
discouraged
that
I
did
not
recommend
the
student
to
SST
again
I
did
collect
the
students,
work,
samples
and
year-long
data
to
give
to
the
students
teacher
and
teacher
the
following
year.
The
students
new
teacher
also
had
concerns
and
discussed
the
student
with
the
SST
team.
The
students
mother
was
very
involved
in
her
students
at
in
her
daughter's
education
and
she
and
I
stayed
in
frequent
contact.
The
mother
also
shared
her
concerns
for
her
daughter's
reading
struggles
and
lack
of
progress.
AA
AA
So
this
what
I
wrote
before
I
came
home
to
Boston
and
began
began
teaching
in
bps
for
two
years,
I'd
taught
at
a
large
New
York
City
High
School
in
Queens
at
John
Adams
high
school,
the
class
size
limit
even
for
a
room
made
up
entirely
of
new
immigrants.
All
beginners
in
the
English
language
was
28
students,
I
was
elated
and
indeed
proud
of
my
city
to
learn.
When
I
came
back
to
Boston
last
year
that
for
English
learners
and
their
teachers
in
bps,
the
class
size
limit
was
20
students
there's
a
reason
for
that.
AA
It
doesn't
take
an
expert
to
understand
that
when
fewer
kids
are
in
the
room,
teachers
can
pay
more
attention
to
each
and
every
one
of
those
teachers,
that
is
to
say,
can
teach
more
students
as
a
result
will
learn
more.
They
feel
more
cared
for
less
distracted
by
peers,
more
comfortable
with
their
surroundings
and
closer
with
their
classmates
and
teachers.
It
is
then
sound
policy
that
bps
holds
such
small
class
limits
relative
to
other
large
urban
districts.
AA
Forgoing
the
reality.
The
too
often
administrators
are
left
with
little
choice
but
to
ignore
class
limits
and
accept
grievances
from
teachers
with
overcrowded
rooms.
The
bigger
question
is
this:
why
does
bps
is
commendable?
Policy
on
class
size
limit
not
seem
to
apply
when
it
comes
to
special
education
at
the
humanities.
Boston,
it's
been
a
tough
year.
Last
year's
em
Casas
MCAT
scores
fell
significantly
from
the
previous
year
and
from
a
level
one
school,
we
have
become
a
level-3.
If
our
scores
don't
improve
this
year,
we've
been
told
will
fall
under
turnaround
status.
AA
AA
Outdated
curricula,
old-school
methods
of
instruction
are
not
the
problem.
The
problem
is
our
inability
to
appropriately
fairly
and
equitably
serve
our
students
with
special
needs
for
students
with
emotional
disabilities
or
other
psychological
trauma.
The
district
employs
at
the
Amana
to
guidance
counselors
for
more
than
1,000
students.
AA
Our
school
of
over
1,000
students
has
one
occupational
therapist
one
special
education
coordinator,
who
has
zero
support
staff
at
the
middle
school
level
for
nearly
500
students.
Our
school
has
only
five
full-time
special
education
teachers.
Somebody
earlier
mentioned,
the
suburbs
I
grew
up
in
Wellesley
at
Wellesley
middle
school.
There
are
roughly
a
hundred
students
with
ip's.
AB
Welcome
to
the
Boston
City
Council
Zion
Ella
chamber,
for
a
hearing
in
the
City
Council's
Committee
on
planning
development
and
transportation
on
docket
number,
one
three
to
seven
order
for
hearing
regarding
Boston
speed
limits
and
pedestrian
safety.
My
name
is
michelle
wu
and
I'm
chair
of
this
committee,
I'm
joined
by
my
colleagues
and
the
sponsors
of
this
hearing
order.
AB
District
councillor,
Eadie,
Flynn
and
district
councillor
Frank
Baker
I
want
to
remind
everyone
that
this
public
hearing
is
being
recorded
and
broadcast
live
on
channels,
Comcast,
8,
RCN,
82
and
Verizon
1964,
as
well
as
streaming
on
the
city
of
Boston
website.
Please
silence
your
cell
phones
and
other
devices,
and
if
you
wish
to
testify,
please
check
the
box
on
the
sign-in
sheets
check
the
appropriate
sheet
on
the
sheets
by
the
door,
and
we
will
then
take
public
testimony.
AB
Okay,
so
again,
I
want
to
thank
our
sponsors
for
for
continuing
to
follow
this
issue,
thanks
in
particular
to
a
councillor
Baker's
leadership
over
the
last
term.
Boston
now
has
a
lower
default
speed
limit
and
we
have
much
more
work
to
do,
but
he's
been
a
committed
advocate
on
this
issue
and
so
many
of
the
issues
that
are
related
to
neighborhood
safety
and
and
and
street
safety.
So
I
want
to
give
each
of
the
sponsors
a
chance.
C
C
It's
because
of
your
leadership
that
we're
making
great
progress
I
believe
that
strain
safety
is
the
top
issue
in
my
district
in
one
of
the
most
important
in
our
city,
safety
for
all
on
our
roads
for
pedestrians,
motorists,
cyclists,
vision,
zero,
no
fatal
or
serious
crashes
in
Boston
again,
I'd
also
like
to
highlight
the
work
of
Mayor
Walsh,
his
leadership
in
moving
our
city
forward
through
various
traffic
calming
measures,
one
of
which,
one
of
which
was
lowering
the
speed
limit
to
25
miles
per
hour.
Last
January.
AA
AA
It's
what
Boston
schools
need
it's
what
our
students
and
families
deserve,
and
it's
the
right
thing
to
do.
I
also
just
want
to
say
quickly,
even
though
the
two
assistant
superintendents
for
special
education
have
left
the
room.
I.
Don't
think
I'd
like
to
think
that
this
is
not
their
fault.
I
have
to
think
that
special
educators
at
that
kind
of
level
would
like
more
funding.
Why
we
don't
have.
AA
A
AC
Thank
you
so
much.
My
name
is
Edith
Brazil
and
I'm.
The
president
of
the
black
educators
alliance
of
Massachusetts
I,
want
to
thank
you
so
much
for
having
this
hearing,
and
this
is
an
urgent
matter,
as
evidenced
by
us
going
into
our
fourth
hour
of
the
hearing.
So
thank
you
so
much
for
having
this
I
want
to
say
that
the
special
education
community
is
not
an
accidental
community.
Those
who
go
into
this
field
go
in
because
of
their
deep
passion,
dedication
and
commitment
to
do
in
the
work.
AC
AC
Unfortunately,
as
we've
heard
this
evening,
special
education
in
Boston,
however,
is
broken,
and
many
of
our
teachers
hands
are
tied
today.
I
want
to
talk
about
how
special
education
impacts,
our
students
of
color
and
the
system
where
our
students
of
color
are
over-represented
in
what
we
call
the
high
incidence
problematic
categories.
This
is
a
problem
that
we
need
to
understand,
but
more
important
than
that.
AC
AC
Black
males
are
labeled
four
times
the
rate
when
compared
to
white
male
peers
in
the
category
of
intellectual
impairment
and
black
males
are
labeled
again
twice
the
rate
when
compared
with
their
white
male
peers
in
specific
learning
disabilities.
But
then,
when
we
look
at
emotional
impairment,
that's
the
category
where
some
parent,
a
parent,
talked
about
the
McKinley
school.
That's
one
area,
black
males
are
labeled
five
times
more
than
the
white
male
peers.
AC
Emotional
impairment
is
a
category
that
drives
placements
in
what
we
call
behavioral
settings
in
Boston,
such
as
lab
classes
and
lab
clusters.
Also
Boston
Public
Schools
has
four
for
McKinley
schools,
which
houses
students
with
the
label
of
emotional
impairment,
four
separate
buildings
where
students
have
absolutely
no
interaction
with
their
general
education
peers.
AC
Now
it
is
unclear
whether
the
data
that
bps
presented
included
those
students,
because
the
McKinley
schools
are
considered
public
private
in
their
data
they
disaggregated
the
students
who
are
in
private
placements,
so
perhaps
that
five
times
greater
than
their
white
male
peers
is
a
higher
figure.
If
we
look
at
that,
I
believe
that
that's
a
question
that
needs
to
be
explored,
particularly
given
the
quite
graphic
descriptions
that
were
provided
by
the
previous
parent,
which
I
know
to
be
quite
accurate.
The
segregation
of
black
males
in
special
education
is
nothing
new.
However.
AC
Sadly,
in
Boston,
special
education
becomes
a
place
where
black
males
a
queer
house
and
some
of
the
research
from
bath
Harry
who
worked
in
the
office
of
civil
rights
as
well
as
other
research,
inform
us
of
the
factors
that
contribute
to
over-representation
of
african-american
males
in
special
education,
I'd
like
to
just
cite
briefly
a
few
first
teachers
who
do
not
believe
that
black
males
can
achieve
academic
success
may
ignore
it
then
isolate
them
when
academic
difficulties
occur.
This
can
lead
to
students
feeling
frustrated
and
alienated
instead
of
providing
support
to
black
males
the
deficit.
AC
Second,
when
teachers
have
not
had
high
quality
professional
development
in
providing
evidence-based,
instructional
and
behavioral
strategies
as
an
integral
part
of
daily
routine
instruction
to
effectively
address
learning
challenges
in
the
content
areas,
it
drives
the
perception
that
special
education
is
the
only
game
in
town
third
school
staffs
who
perceive
black
males
as
aggressive
or
dangerous,
may
engage
in
criminalizing
their
behavior,
which
is
why
black
males
are
suspended
three
times
higher
than
the
appears.
This
often
leads
to
special
education
referrals.
AC
Fourth,
the
increasing
numbers
of
white
teachers
in
Boston
creates
conditions
for
cultural
discontinuities,
widening
the
teacher
diversity
gap
or
the
black-white
teacher
gap
which
no
from
the
John
Hopkins
University
study
when
teachers
are
not
appropriately
prepared
to
engage
students
from
different
cultural
backgrounds.
Miss
classification
of
culturally
and
linguistically
diverse
students
occur.
Now,
when
we
look
at
the
overall
placement
rate
of
special
education
in
Boston,
the
district
currently
classifies
over
20%
of
its
students
in
a
special
education
category,
which
is
one
of
the
highest
rates
in
the
country.
AC
The
average
is
13%,
but
if
we
look
at
similarly
situated
urban
districts,
it
can
range
between
nine
and
11
percent.
Boston
was
at
22
percent,
which
was
its
highest
in
1998.
The
district
went
down
to
about
70
17
%,
and
now
it's
going
back
up.
There
is
a
serious
problem
there,
although
Boston
Public
Schools,
is
increasing
its
inclusion
classes.
If
teachers
do
not
receive
high-quality
professional
development,
particularly
in
the
area
of
evidence-based
intensive
reading
interventions,
students
still
don't
get
the
support.
They
need
and
I
think
that
that
was
something
that
was
talked
about
previously.
AC
According
to
Louisa
Mol's,
who
was
a
premier
reading
specialist
in
the
country.
Reading
failure
is
one
of
the
most
frequent
underlying
causes
of
special
education
referrals
in
the
high
incidence
categories,
and
so
we
we
know
that
the
professional
development
and
BPS
is
lacking
and
that's
a
real
problem
further,
just
as
I
DEA
does
not
define
special
education
as
a
place.
AC
Inclusion
is
not
there's
also
not
a
place
if
teachers
are
not
getting
the
professional
development
support
so
that
they
can
use
strategies
and
have
resources,
and
if
classes
are
not
appropriately
staff,
then
we're
gonna
see
continual
continual
failure
in
the
outcomes
for
students
learning,
and
one
only
needs
to
look
at
the
achievement
outcomes
of
students
in
these
placements
to
see
that
the
achievement
is
not
impressive.
It's
not
happening
it's
just
not
positive.
In
some
Mis
classification
is
a
misappropriation
of
educational
services.
AC
It
does
not
meet
the
needs
of
those
who
are
misclassified
and
instead
it
does
harm.
Special
education
has
resulted
in
the
re-segregation
of
black
males
and
views
the
school
to
Prison
Pipeline,
but
also
the
school
to
graveyard
pipelines.
It's
time
to
change
these
trends
that
are
devastating
the
lives
of
black
and
brown
students.
Thank
you
very
much.
A
A
AD
You
so
much
for
giving
all
the
teachers
and
parents
here
a
voice.
I
know
that
this
has
been
a
frustration
and
a
struggle
for
many
many
years
for
many
of
us,
and
thank
you
for
being
here
so
late
as
well.
So
at
the
end
of
last
year,
sorry
I
work
at
the
Mario
umana
k2,
eight
Academy,
where
over
80%
of
our
students
are
English
language
learners.
AD
So,
at
the
end
of
last
school
year,
our
school
filed
a
complaint
with
the
Department
of
Education
for
improper
SST
practices,
the
conclusion
of
which
has
not
been
shared
with
the
staff.
I
was
cornered
by
my
principal
for
being
involved
with
this
complaint,
and
she
claimed
that
this
lawsuit
she
kept
using.
Those
words
was
invalid
because
our
air
tar
practices
at
the
Yamano
were
quote
airtight
so
I'm
here
to
talk
about
some
of
those
airtight
practices.
AD
AD
He
was
a
focused
and
hardworking
student,
so
it
stood
out
that
he
wasn't
making
progress
after
preparing
a
report
to
share
with
the
SST
team.
I
was
not
invited
to
attend
SST
until
three
months.
After
my
request,
the
team
told
me
that,
because
his
eld
level
was
a
four,
he
was
not
eligible
for
evaluation
because
he
needed
quote
more
time
to
learn
the
language
I
met
with
the
student's
father
as
well
to
share
concerns.
AD
AD
On
another
occasion
there
was
a
student
who
I
had
for
two
years.
I
began
as
a
second
grade
teacher
and
loop
to
third
grade
so
I
had
had
experience
with
the
student
over
two
years
was
very
concerned
with
her
lack
of
progress
as
well
again
compiled
a
two
page
report
with
lots
of
information
about
the
student
presented
it
to
SST.
I
was
told
to
quote
work
one-on-one
with
the
student.
AD
I
did
not
have
a
para
at
the
time
or
a
way
to
make
that
happen,
unfortunately,
and
that
the
student
needed
quote
more
time
to
make
so
I
met
with
the
students
mother.
Much
like
the
first
story
edge
is
shared,
who
was
also
frustrated
for
hearing
these
teacher
frustrations
a
year
after
a
year
and
being
concerned
for
her
daughter.
She
also
signed
a
request
to
evaluate
the
evaluate
the
request
was
put
in
the
special
coordinators
mailbox,
never
heard
from
or
followed
up
with
again
on
that
matter.
AD
This
parent
continued
to
just
be
incredibly
frustrated
and
sad
for
her
daughter,
not
receiving
any
additional
services
or
testing
so
the
following
year.
I
was
in
touch
with
the
with
the
child's
teacher
and
she
reached
out
to
the
doctor,
so
it
can
eventually
came
to
light
through
other
testing
that
this
child
was
suffering
from
micro
seizures.
This
child
is
still
a
student
at
the
U
Mon
in
the
middle
school
and,
to
this
day,
does
not
have
an
IEP
or
a
504
plan.
AD
The
the
last
story
that
I
will
share
with
you
also
speaks
to
a
parent
who
requested
evaluation
and
was
told
that
her
son
would
never
get
into
college.
That
student
unfortunately,
was
present
at
the
private
meeting
that
the
administrative
team
and
the
special
coordinator
requested
so
parent
and
student
attended.
The
teacher
was
not
invited,
and
this
was
after
the
written
request
was
submitted.
AD
I
am
unsure
at
this
time
whether
the
testing
actually
happened,
but
these
private
meetings
continue
to
happen
and
we
are
K
to
8
school,
but
I
can
speak
specifically
to
the
elementary
and
we
have
over
400
students
in
the
general
education
population
and
only
seven
of
which
receive
resource
room
services.
So
those
numbers
alone
show
that
there's
a
statistic
anomaly
in
the
testing
that's
going
on
in
my
school
and
students
are
being
denied
their
right
to
evaluation.
AD
Parents
are
being
taken
advantage
of
because
for
it
for
most
of
them,
their
primary
language
is
Spanish
and
they
have
come
from
other
countries
and
they
do
not
know
their
rights.
They're,
B
and
they're.
Trusting
misinformation
coming
from
teachers
superiors
so
I
want
to
just
leave
you
with
that,
and
thank
you
for
your
time.
AE
The
other
placements
were
too
chaotic
for
me
to
feel
safe
enough
to
send.
My
daughter
I
want
to
place
my
daughter
in
bps,
instead
of
being
forced
to
do
a
private
placement,
which
is
what
she's
in
now,
but
I
do
not
have
the
confidence
based
on
what
I've,
seen
and
I'm
afraid
to
put
my
child
in
a
school
in
Boston.
In
an
effort
to
help
other
parents
I
began.
A
group
called
brown
girls
of
autism,
because
trying
to
find
advocacy
for
parents
of
color
is
nearly
impossible
and
trust
me
I
know
as
a
parent.
AE
AE
Parents
should
not
have
to
have
costly
legal
representation
to
get
the
BP
to
get
BPS
to
do
the
right
thing
by
our
children,
but
sadly
that
is
the
reality
in
bps.
With
all
these
issues
in
bps,
there
is
not
even
an
independent
black
parent
on
the
superintendent
search
committee.
This
is
just
another
example
of
how
voices
of
black
parents
are
dismissed
and
many
wonder
why
we
do
what
we
do
to
get
a
placement
outside
of
Boston.
AE
We
are
close
to
40%
of
the
bps
population.
That's
unacceptable
parents
of
color
in
Boston
want
the
same
thing
for
the
children
that
all
parents
want,
but
when
we
express
our
needs,
we
are
treated
as
if
we
are
asking
for
too
much.
We
want
what's
best
for
our
children
and
we
want
BPS
to
provide
quality
programs
and
services
to
us.
Also
and
I
also
want
to
talk
about
what
I
went
through
with
my
own
daughter's
IEP.
AE
My
daughter
had
very
limited
language,
and
when
we
had
the
IEP
meeting,
they
offered
her
15
minutes
of
speech
three
times
a
month
with
a
consult,
and
she
was
also
lacking
in
her
gross
motor
skills
and
they
offered
her
30
minutes
of
OT
three
times
a
month
with
a
console.
They
also
offered
her
a
VA
one
hour
in
growth,
so
what
I
did
was
I
rejected.
The
placement
I
moved
her
services
back
home
and
she
received
three
hours
of
ABA
five
days
a
week
for
nine
months
until
the
main
Institute
piloted
their
center
based
program.
AE
I
placed
him
in
that
program.
I.
Actually
had
to
do
premium,
assistance
to
obtain
Blue,
Cross,
Blue
Shield,
so
that
those
services
would
be
covered
in
the
center
based
program
because
we
couldn't
do
it
under
MassHealth
when
she
aged
out
of
the
main
Institute
Center
and
not
to
get
it
confused
with
the
school
because
that's
different.
That's
not
a
district
placement
I
looked
into
the
bps
again
and
they
offered
the
same
thing.
AE
What
happened
to
me
in
December
was
that
I
I
lost
the
premium
assistance
program,
and
so
she
began
doing
MassHealth
primary
Biermann
doesn't
take
MassHealth
primary,
so
she
was
kicked
out
of
the
program
for
a
month.
I
again
review
options
for
bps
I,
wasn't
comfortable
I'm
hearing
all
the
same
things
I
heard
before
I
live
on
a
fixed
income
and
I
actually
am
paying
for
a
Blue
Cross
Blue
Shield
premium
out-of-pocket,
which
takes
almost
half
of
my
income
for
the
month.
AE
Just
so,
she
can
go
back
to
be
a
min
and
receive
the
services
that
she's
getting.
She
gets
eight
hours
of
ABA
a
day
and
that's
with
math
reading,
and
you
know
all
the
other
things
they
do.
She
she's
no,
as
I
said
she's
thriving
she's.
She
has
language
she's,
doing
very
well
she's,
not
high
functioning
she's.
Moderately
autistic
I
don't
want
to
have
to
pay
for
private
insurance,
so
she
can
go
to
this.
You
know
this
program.
AE
I
want
her
to
go
to
bps
I
live
in
Dorchester,
but
I'm
not
comfortable
because
of
all
of
the
things
that
I've
heard
from
even
with
the
parents.
In
my
support
group,
it's
all
bad
and
I
I
feel
for
anyone
who
has
a
child
in
the
special
ed
program
in
bps.
I
I
never
want
that
for
my
daughter,
but
I
I
want
to
eventually
place
her
in
bps.
You
know
I
just
hope
the
program
it
gets
better.
That's
all
I
have
to
say.
AF
Thank
you
very
much.
It's
been
I
think
a
couple
of
long
hours
and
very
compelling
testimony.
My
name
is
Jacqueline
Rodriguez
and
I'm.
A
bilingual
school
psychologist,
I'm,
also
the
parent
of
a
three
daughters,
one
who
had
an
IEP
for
a
speech
resource
a
phonic
year
until
she
was
in
11th
grade.
She
had
been
diagnosed
a
DD
and
had
a
conductive
hearing
loss.
She
is
now
in
naĆvi,
League,
school
and
the
services
where
she
received
I.
AF
AF
Yesterday,
I
was
on
my
way
here,
but
I
was
received
a
text
that
I
had
a
suicidal
student
in
one
of
my
elementary
schools,
and
so
I
had
to
go
back,
and
so
it
wasn't
until
about
quarter
six,
that
I
was
able
to
leave
this
school
and
by
then
I
thought
you
guys
would
be
done,
but
so
I'm,
sorry
but
I.
Just
I
did
want
to
talk
a
little
bit
about
the
crisis,
work
that
we
do
like
the
work
that
I
had
to
do
yesterday.
AF
Last
week,
a
team
of
about
eleven
school
psychologists
responded
to
a
tragic
event
at
one
of
our
schools
and
the
folks.
You
know
under
the
amazing
leadership
of
andrea
amador,
she
pulled
our
team
together,
like
she
always
does
the
school
psychologists
respond.
We
provide
crisis
support
for
teachers,
staff,
the
the
the
parents,
students
who
were
traumatized
by
the
event,
and
in
last
week's
case
it
was
at
the
you
know.
AF
It
was
just
a
very
bad
incident
of
a
death
of
a
very
beloved
staff
person
and
I
must
say
that
you
know
we
are
I,
don't
know
what
numbers
you
were
told
yesterday
exist
in
our
department,
but
I
can
tell
you
that
116,
that's
the
number
to
remember.
That's
the
number
of
staff
that
we
need
to
really
be
able
to
support
IPS
to
be
able
to
when,
when
we
have
counseling
on
IEP
s,
we
we
being
school
psychologists
and
people
adjustment
counselors.
AF
So
you
know
it's
just
I
think
we
try
our
best
and
again
under
the
amazing
leadership
of
andrea
amador.
We
are
stretched.
We
do
our
best.
We
try
to
be
on
top
of
all
the
trainings
that
we
need
to
take.
But
when
you
have
over
1,100
students
in
the
state
average
is
about
601
to
600,
and
we
are
one
to
almost
1,200
some
of
us
and
we
have
really
50
school
psychologists
to
pull
from
the
pool
really
50
or
there
there's
it's
so
complicated.
AF
I
can't
even
explain
it
and
it's
so
late,
but
I
have
to
say
that
we
try
our
best
when
I
train
I
will
have
two
interns
next
year,
when
we
train
our
interns
that
domains
that
we
have
train
them
in
include
counseling
to
a
consultation
with
teachers
and
a
bunch
of
other
areas,
our
consultation
training
to
staff.
We
have
to
all
these
domains,
including
testing,
how
we
have
to
train
our
engines
in
doing
all
those
things
and
when
we
say,
as
we
are
in
contract
negotiations
right
now,
we
want
more
mental
health.
AF
Stuff
parents
have
been
saying
that
we've
heard
that
tonight
I'm
sure
you
heard
that
yesterday.
What
we
really
want
to
emphasize
is
that,
but
the
staff
that's
hired
if
anymore,
to
be
hired,
please
let
it
be
licensed
staff
guidance,
counselors,
social
workers,
school
psychologists,
but
folks
who
have
licensed
because
who
can't
say
there
are
counselor
a
lot
of
people,
coaches,
whatever
can
say,
they're,
counselors
or
coaches,
and
provide
counseling
to
students,
but
the
ones
that
are
required
for
via
IEP
SR
had
licensed
mental
health,
counselors
and
so
I.
AF
A
B
Quickly,
the
hour
is
late
is
now
9:00
p.m.
I
just
want
to
make
one
observation,
which
was
that
what
we
just
heard
in
terms
of
public
testimony
was
very
different
than
what
we
heard
on
the
panel,
and
you
know
it's
important
for
us
to
try
to
move
to
a
place
where
we
are
all
experiencing
the
same
things
and
I
know
that
there
are
folks
on
the
inside
of
the
district,
who
are
working
very
hard,
but
we've
got
to
make
sure
that
all
of
our
children
are
being
serviced
and
that
their
needs
are
being
met.
B
I
want
to
just
give
a
special
thank
you
to
all
the
educators
in
the
room,
all
the
advocates
who
showed
up,
and
especially
to
all
of
the
parents
who
continue
to
fight
for
your
children
every
single
day
keep
up
fight.
While
you
were
here
spending
four
hours
with
us,
you
were
away
from
your
children,
but
I
certainly
appreciate
your
advocacy
and
that
you
were
so
frank
and
candid
in
terms
of
sharing.
What
was
very,
you
know
heartbreaking
in
terms
of
your
own
stories
and
your
struggles
with
this
system.
B
A
I
just
I
do
want
to
note
this
evenings
hearing
is
just
over
just
about
four
hours
long.
We
had
almost
three
hours
of
that
was
public
testimony
which
is
very
powerful
to
me
and
in
for
public
testimony.
Usually
when
we
stretch
into
this
late
hour,
people
start
peeling
off
that
had
signed
up
for
public
testimony
all,
but
one
person
stayed
to
offer
their
testimony.
A
Think
Kathryn
said
this
is
Boston
that
in
Boston
I
expect
that
we
are
exceeding
the
standard
that
we
are
doing
more
than
just
meeting
the
needs
of
our
kids
that
we're
going
beyond
that.
I
expect
that
for
my
own
children
and
the
Boston
Public
Schools
that
we
are
exceeding
their
needs,
I
expect
them
to
exceed
expectations
and
I
look
forward
to
continued
work
in
this
space
as
we
go
forward.
I
will
also
note
just
for
the
record
that
there
were
some
references
this
evening
to
contract
negotiations
as
a
City
Council.
A
We
are
not
involved
in
contract
ago.
She
ation.
We
are
not
privy
to
information
that
is
being
discussed
and
negotiated
during
contract
negotiations.
We
simply
may
read
information,
that's
in
the
media,
but
we
are
not
privy
and
do
not
participate
in
conversations
regarding
contract
negotiations.
With
that
said,
I
will
adjourn
this
meeting
and
wish
you
all
good
night.
Thank
you.