| Releases
& Statements
FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE June 18, 2007
Contact: John Collins
(212) 669-4193; (917) 496-4587
Release #: 031-2007
Public
Advocate Gotbaum, CCSE Release New Report on DOE's Lack of Communication
with Special Ed Parents
MANHATTAN
– The Department of Education (DOE) fails to provide parents
of children with disabilities information on special education
services or respond to their concerns about their children’s
transportation, according to a new survey of parents with children
in District 75 released today by Public Advocate Betsy Gotbaum
and the Citywide Council on Special Education (CCSE).
The
report, based on the responses of 2,026 parents of students with
moderate to severe disabilities in District 75, aimed to measure
parent engagement and assess the DOE’s delivery of special
education services. Earlier this month, it was discovered that
DOE failed to include District 75 parents in a citywide survey
on the education system. In response to public outcry, the DOE
announced that it would survey District 75 parents in approximately
one year.
One
District 75 parent said about the DOE, "During the previous
year, I was misinformed, misguided, and disregarded. I don’t
feel that my questions regarding my son were answered or adequately
addressed. I have still not received a current IEP (Individualized
Education Plan).”
Public
Advocate Gotbaum said, “Parents of children with special
needs have enough on their plate. They shouldn't have to deal
with a bureaucratic system that packs their kids into classrooms
and refuses to give them information about transportation and
resources. It's time the DOE work with parents of children with
special needs, not around them.”
The
major findings in the survey include:
- 31 percent of parents indicated that they have never received
information on community resources that may help them with their
child’s education needs;
- 19 percent of respondents indicated that the DOE’s Office
of Pupil Transportation or their child’s bus company were
not responsive to their concerns;
- 30 percent of parents indicated that their child’s school
did not have after-school programs.
John
Englert, President of the CCSE, said “We're very proud of
our efforts. This is a survey developed by parents with children
with special needs for parents with children with special needs.
We're excited that we can make the parents voices heard and we
urge DOE to do the same.”
The
report recommends that the Department of Education improve its
communication with parents of children in special education, ensure
that children with special needs receive reliable bussing, and
increase responsiveness to the concerns of parents.
###
|
