I feel a rant coming on. Ya'll might want to cover your eyes.
I've never been on an audit panel but I would sure like to. I'd like to understand the metrics used to measure the success of a school's or district's special ed program. Our district is considered to be a model for the state, and my sprout's school is considered to be the best for special ed in the district. But I can't think of a parent with a special needs child in the last 3 years who was happy with the services their kids get, the information the parents get, the responsiveness, the plans, the carrying out of the plans, or anything else that a parent is likely to care about when it comes to special ed or a child is likely to benefit from when it comes to special ed.
So what the heck is the program for? Who decides that it's working? And what criteria are they using? I can tell you one thing. Parents are not invited to the table when it comes to auditing the special ed program.
And remember we've got a banner program that the rest of the state is envious of. So four things have come about as a result. The regional PTA has formed a special subcommittee to work with the district on the problems with the program. But the district personnel always cancel at the last moment and don't show up to the subcommittee meetings. The school board caved to pressure and formed a committee that was 1/4 parents and 3/4 district personnel to write a report with recommendations. That committee has to have 1/3 attendance or they can't do any business. So the district stonewalled and the non-parent members didn't show up and so there was never a quorum and nothing could get done. So the parents raised hell 3 months later at the school board meeting and the stink got into the local news.
Then they started meeting, but scheduled meetings when working parents couldn't attend. So, with half the parents not able to meet, the parent members didn't get any of their concerns into the final report. That turned out not to matter because the report has been sitting on the district head's desk for over a year and he says he hasn't had time to read it
Meanwhile, another group of parents decided to start a class action suit against the district for their special ed problems. The district's response has been to unqualify any kid they possibly could for IEPs in the last year. No IEP, no compliance problems, no lawsuits seems to be their thinking. So now there's a suit brewing over not identifying students who need help.
So let me recap: A committee was formed that wound up writing a worthless report. The report never got read or responded to. The regional PTA formed a special subcommittee to try and work directly with schools and parents. Two class action lawsuits. And a whole bunch of students who had IEPs got unqualified in a big hurry.
That's a model program, one of the prides of the state.
Like I said. I'd love to audit this stinking pile of dung. But I'm the last person they'd pick because I don't take hints and I don't bend to threats and I don't falter when the school retaliates against my sprouts. They try to get brand new special ed parents who don't know the score on any parent committees if they possibly can. Special Ed parents are marginalized.
And the state's principals and administrators were even caught a couple years ago with a list of "trouble-maker parents" so if we move to another district the district and the principal know we're coming. That one made a national stink among special ed activist groups.
It's safe to open your eyes. I'm done hollering for the time being.
I don't know if any of that rant contained useful information for you. Maybe that stuff about metrics and what your district thinks makes a successful program. Do you think they're measuring the right things? How many kids dropped from special ed wind up struggling with worse grades? How many former special ed kids graduate? Go to college? How many do ok on standardized tests? How many special ed students have outside advocates involved in their IEP process? How many times does the school not do its basic requirements like having the testing within 50 days? How many times have they settled out of court and sent a student to a decent private school?
If the program is working these statistics should be improving. In my district the numbers of special ed students are declining, but they're still struggling as much or more to get an education and graduate.
"No child left behind"? Hah!
! What a messed up situation! It's enough to make you want to homeschool. 
