Clock is Ticking on State Special Education Funding
State allocates one-time funding to counties to provide LEAs with mental health services, which will soon be solely the district's responsibility.
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Funding for county mental health services to the Glendora Unified School District’s special needs students will continue to be paid by the state, but only for a short period of time.
A Memorandum of Understanding was approved by the GUSD school board at the Sept. 12 meeting, allowing the L.A. County Department of Mental Health to continue providing pre-existing services for 2011-2012 only.
In June, Gov. Jerry Brown signed AB 114 into law, forcing school districts to become solely responsible for the funding of their special needs students.
The one-time funding was meant to help districts during the transitional period between now and when the districts must either pay entirely out of pocket to contract county services or provide these services themselves.
$133 million in funding under AB 3632, the original mandate, was vetoed by then Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger in Oct. 2010.
Counties across the state will receive funding under AB 100, a law which shifts money from the Mental Health Services Fund to be used for special education students. L.A. County’s DMH has only $33.1 million allocated by California, but that funding will likely run out by Dec. 31, 2011.
Glendora Unified has been working with its Special Education Local Area Plan division to address the approaching change.
“We have been working on creating a program and what the model will look like to address the mental health needs,” said Ann Keyes, director of student services.
They are working to determine on what needs they may have to provide, such as a clinical psychologist, therapist and/or counseling services, for example.
L.A. County’s DMH provides outside counseling, therapy, family counseling, psychiatric services and medication, if needed.
GUSD does provide some mental health services to its students, but beyond intensive counseling, the county would provide help, according to Keyes.
Last year, the district spent almost $152,000 on mental health services provided by the County and is still working on finding out if and how much money Glendora Unified will be reimbursed, according to Marc Chaldu, assistant superintendent of business services.
Central to Gov. Brown’s argument was that there was previously no accountability with the old system and with the districts behind the driver’s seat there will be “greater cost containment and ... a stronger connection between the services provided and the student’s educational outcomes,” according to Gov. Brown’s revised budget summary.
With or without state or federal funding, the school district must provide a free, appropriate public education in the least restrictive environment.
“This district will continue to meet the needs of the students and honor those student’s IEPs,” Keyes said.
B.K. Holthaus
9:10 am on Monday, September 19, 2011
If the District loses state funding on this issue I strongly suggest that parents of Special Ed students monitor their child's progress and not let their needs be diminished or compromised. Do what you can for your child's sake and don't accept "we can't do that" as the final word. It may not be an easy journey but your child is well worth the effort.
Parent
4:10 pm on Monday, September 19, 2011
Perhaps the suggestion should be to call and write your legislators and demand that they fund the programs that they have written into law. Unfortunately, the districts still have to provide the services, because the state has mandated it, and when the state made it law, they also said they would pay. Since they aren't, that money now has to come out of the general fund for all students. Meaning that the district's already strapped budget is impacted even more by mandated special ed costs.
B.K. Holthaus
7:57 pm on Monday, September 19, 2011
Based on our past history of appealing to the conscience of our legislators, I'd say we will need to stay involved with our local District. Not meaning to be contentious in any way, but just because a law is mandated by the state doesn't mean it will be followed. It just pays to keep things on a personal level and work for the best interest of YOUR child, no matter their circumstance and don't let anyone on the state or local levels deter you from that goal.
B.K. Holthaus
8:18 pm on Monday, September 19, 2011
We need to continue Special Ed programs in our schools. Each of these persons below would have qualified for Special Ed. They are the ones who made it. Hundreds or thousands have not because programs were non-existent or unavailable to them. Here are 21 reasons why Special Education should always be a part of the state's curriculum and budget: Albert Einstein, Leonardo D Vinci, Mozart, Robin Williams, Lewis Carroll, George Bernard Shaw, Winston Churchill, Jackie Stewart, Bruce Jenner, Richard Branson, George Washington, Whoopi Goldberg, Nelson Rockefeller, Galileo, Thomas Edison, Gen. George Patton, John F. Kennedy, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Walt Disney, John Lennon and Louis Pasteur.
Ken lee
3:40 am on Tuesday, September 27, 2011
We are thinking of moving to Glendora but this worries me. I have two special needs children and I need to know that the school district can provide the services they need. Maybe Glendora is not a place for families with special needs
B.K. Holthaus
11:45 am on Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Ken, Your children can succeed in the Glendora schools but it may be an uphill battle. You'd be wise to stay involved with the district on a daily or weekly basis to insure that things are moving well. My son came into the district at fifth grade with nothing higher than a D or F in any subject. He got the same in fifth grade in Glendora. I worked hard to get him into the Special Ed program in Glendora and the end result was that he graduated from GHS with a 3.0 GPA, and passed the exit exam on fourth try. But I am an ex-teacher and know the educational codes and laws that insured his curriculum and that did help in his success. Best of luck to you.
Ken lee
9:42 pm on Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Thank you. We are looking to move in about s year or so. Hopefully things look less gloomy. We are currently in another San Gabriel valley school district that is not the safest but have really taken care of my children's IEP's. Moving can be difficult for us.
B.K. Holthaus
9:56 pm on Tuesday, September 27, 2011
You sound like a caring and committed parent. I'm sure your kids will be fine. Glendora is extremely family-oriented. I can't imagine that you would be anything other than content living here. I don't know what grades your kids are in but ask for weekly progress reports and stay in close contact with teachers and the kids should thrive.
Judy McGehee
3:50 pm on Wednesday, December 7, 2011
Some of the children our Internship program serves, are special ed or special needs children. We are seeing more and more children who need special ed services - it's an added expense but as B.K. Holthaus stated, those 21 "reasons" he mentioned were clearly leaders, movers, shakers, and creatively gifted as
well as special needs. Judy McGehee, LMFT, Glendora.