Concerns About Special Needs “Scholarships”

Disability Rights Wisconsin and Wisconsin Board for People with Developmental Disabilities put together a pretty good overview of the major problems with the Special Needs Scholarships that Scott Walker and the Republicans want to ram down our throats as they sell off everything they can, even our children.

A sampling:

WHAT DO FAMILIES AND STUDENTS GIVE UP WHEN THEY ACCEPT A VOUCHER?
• The guarantee a child won’t be turned away – either at the door or sent back mid-semester. Voucher proposals will not require private schools to accept children
with disabilities.
• The guarantee to any special education or related services such as therapies or assistive technology. Even if a voucher proposal says an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) will be required and implemented, schools are not required to provide specific services or supports.
• The guarantee that a professional with training will support a child. Recent Wisconsin voucher proposals have not required qualified special educators or therapists to be on staff.
• The right to keep a child safe from harmful and abusive practices, like seclusion and restraint. These protective laws do not apply in private schools.
• All rights under state and federal special education law, the strongest education law in the world. If things go wrong in a voucher school, families’ only option is
to return to the public school.

Read the whole thing (in pdf form) here.