No special education cuts in Valley Stream

Special education cuts made in the Valley Stream Central High School District’s 2010-11 budget will be restored into the spending plan after district officials received notice from the New York State Education Department that it would have been out of compliance with state requirements.

Under the recently adopted budget, special education was to lose two full-time teachers and one part-time teacher. Those teachers would have been replaced with teacher’s assistants in ninth and 10th grade English inclusion classes, as well as in ninth grade social studies. Dr. Bill Heidenreich, assistant superintendent for personnel and administration, said the district chose those classes because they do not culminate in a Regents exam.

What district officials didn’t know is that if the district implements a co-teaching model for special education — which it does — then the state requires special education teachers to be in every subject area and grade. According to Superintendent Dr. Marc Bernstein, the law was implemented about two years ago, and district officials did not know of the change.

“They informed us that if the district elects to have a co-teaching model, then we need to make it available in subject areas where kids have need,” he said. “We can’t offer it in some and not in others. Once we were informed of that, we are complying with the law.”

Mary Jo Sensale, president of the Valley Stream Special Education Parent Teacher Association, made sure district officials were informed about the law. Sensale called Janet Smith at the Long Island Regional Office for the State Education Department and asked what special education students with Individualized Education Plans were entitled to. Once Smith informed her of the new law, Sensale described to her the special education situation in the district, and Smith said that the plan would put it out of compliance.

On April 6, Sensale informed the board of her findings, and Director of Special Education Michelle Gay called the state to confirm.

Sensale said she was shocked that the board didn’t know of the law. “We voted for them,” she said of the trustees. “So why am I investigating this and they didn’t?”

She added that parents with special education students should know SEPTA is there to help. “It’s important for children with IEP’s to be aware of the laws,” Sensale said, “and SEPTA is here for elementary and high school students.”

Smith could not be reached for comment.

Bernstein said district officials were able to revise the special education program, so the impact on next year’s budget is minute. “The numbers of dollars is almost the same,” he noted. “It will have a minimal impact on the budget and it will not impact the tax levy increase.”

Board members were to make the change at their April 27 meeting.

When the board first adopted the proposed $100.7 million budget, trustees Tony Iadevaio and Cristobal Stewart both voted against it because they opposed the special education cuts.

President Larry Trogel said the board was unaware of the law. “I was surprised that we weren’t able to have a choice,” he said of having teacher’s assistants in inclusion classrooms. “We were surprised to know we couldn’t mix and match the way we wanted to.”

Bernstein explained that under the same law, the district can have up to 12 special education students in one co-teaching section. The district was trying to only have half that amount in each class, Bernstein said, but now the district will average around 10 students per section.

He added that he thought the district’s initial proposal was best for students. “Personally, I believe the original plan was better for children,” Bernstein said, “but the law is the law.”