From reading this blog you should be able to infer that we are interested in education with an emphasis on Specific Leaning Disabilities (SLD), which includes dyslexia. We believe that if the district would use better methodologies and curriculum designed to mainstream dyslexic students then that effort would result in better outcomes for students along will significant cost savings. Freeing those funds to use elsewhere.
We are pleased to see the following statement on the SPS website:
Special Areas of Attention
"Special Education: The state’s Special Education budget increase is a
down payment on a much-needed long term solution. Next year, Seattle
Public Schools will receive an additional 2 million dollars for special
education. Annually, the district spends 70 million dollars of local
levy funds to provide the services our students need. While we
appreciate the increase for Special Education, we continue to have grave
concerns about the State’s slow pace in fully funding Special Education
as is required by law.
"
source : https://www.seattleschools.org/district/calendars/news/what_s_new/budget_update_for_2019-20
However, I have great concerns that SPS would not use all the funding for special education or would not use the additional funding properly. More on that in a future post!
SPS provides little to no explanation on what they would do with more funding, they just continue to blame the poor academic outcomes of SPED students on lack of funding. It's not a funding issue that's for sure.
Here's the break down and remember these number do not include the general education funding that is allocated on top off the special educational funding.
This is only the available SPED funding data.
