Each school year I start with a spirit of positive anticipation and ultimately by the end of the first nine weeks I am reminded of how incredibly disconnected and broken the public education system is as a whole in teaching children with autism and special needs. I would like to think of myself as an educated, proactive, supportive parent who, on a regular basis demonstrates her appreciation for the educators who have chosen to work in special education. This school year started as many have in the past with the typical transition period of having a new teacher in Jacob's classroom. I have learned over the years that with any business, teaching positions can only be filled based on the number of applicants that apply and that there is little control or ability to predict who will do so. What is a known constant is that school districts do have the ability to ensure that these individuals have appropriate training and that there is carryover of critical information specific to the implementation of each Childs individual IEP and BIP. I don't think many people would argue this statement. So why is it that each year so many families experience such discord and frustration as their children are put through an emotional blender as new professionals are given charge of their entire world as it pertains to the majority of their waking hours, only to be left without a compass or gauge to assist them in what tools, techniques and strategies have been used in years past that showed to be positive or negative in teaching each individual child.

I'm sure you can see where this is headed... This year started off rough once again, it clearly was due to the lack of carry over and preparation of the campus my son attends. His teacher is an enthusiastic positive individual who by all evidence has a heart for children with special needs and a desire to make a difference, however the campus and district failed him and my son once again by not providing the most basic of tools, training and supports in order to succeed. We experienced the ultimate in fall out and collateral damage as Jacob experienced the traumatic situation of being restrained not because it was warranted but because school staff lacked the appropriate analytic training needed when working with individuals with communication delays. I knew something was amiss as Jacob's language began to decrease and abrupt noises and response to everyday questions and events increased within the first four weeks of school. The phone call I received informing me that restraints had been used was upsetting but when all the information was brought to the table on the events that transpired, leaving bruises on my child's arms, legs and back, it was heart breaking to know that the entire situation could have and should have been avoided. I am amazed that I, a single mom of three continuously emerge as having a greater depth of understanding and training in teaching methods, data collection and evaluation processes that can clearly guide what should and should not be done when teaching a child with autism or other developmental delays.

After two ARD meetings of which each were four hours and then some, once again we have lost valuable teaching time as the teacher has been forced to learn hands on at Jacob's expense. I am blown away with this for the shear reason that if the district would have had a simple question and answer survey as to what basic teaching methods and behavioral strategies the teacher was familiar with they would have known what gaps existed and would have been able to ensure that these basic needs were addressed prior to the first day of school. What might these special teaching stratagies be that I am speaking of...errorless training, delivery of prompts, what is a prompt, how to fade a prompt, identify primary objectives, the ability to identify what is an actual reinforcer to the child (not what the adult considers to be reinforcing), how to effectively use token ecconomys, how to recognize opportunittie to positively reinforce the child and last but not least, how to take data and interpret it. I have to admit I am becoming more cynical with each year considering the very same scenario occurred last year to Jacob. What is bewildering is that after events had transpired last year the teacher did receive appropriate training although much of it was from me, but there was NEVER the need for any restraints to be used again. My question to you and those in a position of power within the world of education is how can this be acceptable not once but twice to say the least? I would think that in any other business, especially within the private sector that a plan of action would be made to remedy the short comings rather quickly in order to avoid further fall out.

So, for all the powers that be in politics and education across the world, in each country and state here is what is needed and should be done from a simple approach of checks and balances that any business would consider to be essential in effectively achieving goals and outlined targets.

1. Universal form that follows the child throughout the delivery of education services that specifically notes the IEP goal, what approach, method or strategies were used/tried and its effectiveness.

2. Universal form that follows the child throughout the delivery of interventions meant to address maladaptive behaviors, showing what was effective in increasing desired behaviors as well as decreasing undesired.

3. A decision tree that provides an outline that all education professionals could defer to and would be used when the acquisition of a concept or skill is delayed or non-existent when teaching academic or language goals. Personally it is unacceptable that procedures or teaching strategies are used for nine weeks to a year at a time that do not result in statistical, meaningful gains. In a private business where the bottom line means you sink, swim or fold this approach would not be acceptable, so why is it allowed when teaching our most precious resources, our children.

There is so much more to this story and it is far from over... I have chosen to attempt the lofty goal of radically impacting the way my school district does business in a manner that Jacob, his teacher, school district and other children will all emerge as winners. The ball is in their court for the moment as they are being given the opportunity to do the right thing morally and ethically. My greatest frustration is that until these core principals are applied and incorporated into the public education system many more children will continue to experience the peat and repeat effect. The stakes are high as each year these children lose valuable teaching opportunities. Lost teaching opportunities translate into low skill acquisition that in the end determines how well the child can function independently as an adult. Low functioning adult’s equal expensive long term care programs that will be provide by state and funded by tax payers.