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The Special Education World

Have you ever stopped to think about how many hours that are spent in a classroom, with
a teacher in front of a room full of students? Teachers have a great responsibility to instruct
students by teaching the lesson and explaining the topic and material. A very effective method
of teaching is knowing how to ask the right questions, this also allows the teacher to know if the
students are understanding what is taught. Assigning homework to students allows them to
have time to practice and be able to apply what they are learning.
However, is that all that happens in a school setting? The answer is no, in fact, this
couldnt be further from the truth. There is more to school than just text books, worksheets and
pop quizzes. Many life skills are learned in a classroom setting such as respect, discipline,
getting along with others and working with others that may see and do things differently.
Teachers often spend many hours of their personal time grading papers, sitting through parent
and teacher conferences, IEP meetings, trainings and inservice meetings to learn how to better
teach their students. There is more to being in a classroom than just teaching, every student
learns and comprehends differently and for some it is challenging for both the teacher and
student. It is important that all the students get the time with the teacher that they need, and in
some situations, the help of outside resources may be needed in order for them to succeed. With
the constant budget cuts and lack of funding many classrooms are being over crowded thus
making it much more difficult to have the one on one with the teacher when needed. Many
situations could and would be solved if the teachers had the time to spend with each student
ensuring that they were learning the new concepts and answering questions the students have.

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At times and in different circumstances some student will either be too shy or embarrassed to
ask questions in front of the whole class, but would ask the teacher privately. School educators
have a huge responsibility in providing a positive learning environment for students to learn,
especially children, they need to feel comfortable and that they are in a safe place and can engage
in learning. With this kind of environment a student will be given the opportunity to take
responsibility for their own learning and allows them to benefit more from the lessons. Self
motivation and high self esteem are a product of student that has been properly taught in a
positive environment. Providing equal access to appropriate educational services and a positive
learning environment will ensure the student's academic needs are being met with following the
rules and regulations, proper time management, and adequate staff.
Environmental Setting
Unfortunately there are many students that dont have the discipline, emotional stability, or
behavioral control to sit through a class hour. In some circumstances there are people who don't
have as much learning ability as others. There is a broad spectrum of reasons why this is
becoming such a well known challenge, most often it goes back to the diagnosis of many
diseases and disorders that disturb the learning process. Whether it is due to a rise in Autism,
ADD and ADHD or physical abnormalities the teacher is responsible for that child to see that
they have a fair educational experience. With this happening regularly in a classroom, this is
where the special education program comes into to help those students succeed. Without this
program the students would have a hard time learning, behaving, and coping with a disability
that they may have. Special education is so important and is essential in a school setting,
shouldn't there be more funding to support it? Along with the lack of funding there are so many

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rules pertaining to special education. Why limited funding? Why so many mandates, rules and
regulations, and laws? Why does every little detail matter, from a paper being signed to every
minute of services being recorded? This is a concern for all school districts, for parents and
school educators. In most school districts this is a constant headache due to the fact that here are
more students needing the help but less funding to help. For example, there is a huge increase in
the number of students receiving special education services but there is little to no funding to
provide staffing such as para-professionals and private agencies like PSRs ( personal social
responsibility) and physical, speech and occupational therapists. Every student regardless of their
physical, mental or emotional condition deserve to have the best education obtainable. With the
awareness of the cost of providing this kind of education for all students but even more so the
students requiring more attention: How does public education receive funding? How do public
schools receive funding for special education? Where does the funding come from? It is
important to first understand how the education funding process works. Understanding where
the funds come from is the beginning of understanding the funding for education in your state
and school district, as well as realizing where the problems lie. To much surprise, the federal
government is only responsible for approximately nine percent of a school district's money, the
state and individual districts adds the rest as well as local fundraising and the teachers
themselves providing the needed supplies for their classroom. Each individual state and local
districts have their own unique situations and individual needs which require their own funding
formula. (money matters) The federal government does provide some assistance to states and
schools to assist in funding in the form of programs and grants . Along with these programs
come a variety of laws and regulations, many of these programs encompass programs that

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supplement the special education department. For example Title 1 is the largest federally funded
K-12 program, it supplies money to school districts in areas that are not as affluent to help
improve academic achievement, as well as other No Child Left Behind (NCLB) programs that
help with math and science. Another program that is supplemented from federal funds is
Individuals with Disabilities Educational Act (IDEA). (money matters) This program helps in
the educating of students with disabilities, many parents believe that this funding comes from the
state and federal government, as well as the assumption that special education is funded strictly
from the federal government. The truth is that it is up to the local school districts to be
responsible for the majority of the funds. Most states report that on average the federal
government only contributes about fifteen percent of special education monies. This leaves the
local school districts struggling to make up the difference. It would seem logical that if the
government would place such mandates on special education they would have a method of
funding the programs. This does not happen, staff members in the school system and those
affected by children who need the special helps are constantly told that there is no money
available. Many parents and education union members go to our government officials in
Washington D.C. and lobby for the 40% that is promised by congress to the special education
program but for now nothing has changed and hasnt for many years. The diagnosis of children
with special needs is on a constant increase and has never before demanded so much on the
special education programs yet there is not proper money to fund these programs to the specifics
that are required. (understanding special ed funding) The system is lacking in the ability to offer
all the resources available because of the simple concept that there is not adequate money. This
becomes frustrating for all who are involved.

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Rules and Regulations

Along with special education comes many laws, rules, and regulations. Why so many?

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laws are first developed on the federal level and then on the state level. If ever there is a conflict
the federal law is followed. The IDEA is bound by law in all states. IDEA has many regulations
and mandates and they are always changing. This calls for highly qualified teachers as well as
more testing to rate the progress of the student. Testing is done to place a student into a program
to enhance and individualize their learning but those test cost money in which the special
education department pays. This program requires a plethora of paperwork. The federal
government requires paperwork as well as the state. Every meeting must be recorded and the
progress of the students is monitored through paperwork. On a national average, special
education teachers spend five hours more per week on paperwork than a traditional classroom
educator. (education) This factor alone has discouraged many potential teachers from working in
the special education department. Many that do start their career in special education dont last a
working lifetime in this department because of burnout and they dont want to continue through
their career with so much responsibility.
Academic Needs
There are two programs that are used to assist the student with their academic needs one being
the Individualized Education Plan (IEP) and the other 504 Plan. They are similar yet different,
each come with their own rules and regulations. An IEP is a special education law for children
with disabilities and the IDEA laws apply. So what is an IEP and why it is important in a school
setting? A student that is eligible for special education services whether it be academic help,
behavioral help, or outside service help it has to be documented on an IEP. On an IEP it states

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what services are available and the amount of time that is allotted for the service. Then comes
the accommodations such as if the student leaves the classroom with a paraprofessional to take
tests or if the test needs to be simplified. When it comes to behavioral challenged students they
can receive a PSR to help them become socially and academically successful. Unfortunately
PSRs work for an outside source and dont get paid what they deserve because the school
district and the outside source do not agree on a wage they should be paid. This also saves the
school money to be used in other areas of special education. In an IEP it states what the students
goal is and this has to be revisited every year. What is a 504 Plan is a federal civil rights law to
stop discrimination against people with disabilities and the Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act
of 1973 applies. A 504 plan is most used for students that have physical or mental health
disability. These conditions such as epilepsy, diabetes and bipolar disorder are listed under this
category.(pdcfoundation) Both are offered at no cost to the student or parent, however with the
IEP the state receives funding for eligible students, going along with the 504 Plan the state does
not receive extra funding, but the federal government can take away funding from the programs
that do not comply. (ww.understood.com) So how can the government not give but can take
away? One way for the government to take away funds is to cut staff members such as
paraprofessionals and to tighten policies and change rules and regulations so that they are hard to
achieve, sometimes unreachable which justifies the cutting of programs.
In harsh reality the educational system and especially the special education department is
governed and at the mercy of the federal and state governments. School districts are placed in a
burdensome position to make sure their funds are sufficient for the programs that are needed in
their own departments.

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So what is fair? Students that qualify and are eligible for special education classes qualify
for an equal opportunity education. The most important element of the classroom is that of a
positive learning environment. If there is encouragement, consistency and fun the students will
thrive. The teachers and the students learn from each other and they both have to give How can
we help improve what is happening inside the school educational system? We can not! There
are too many rules and regulations and the government has control by requiring such amounts of
paperwork. The paperwork becomes a burden to the staff and makes their job less pleasurable.
Many of our best special education teachers change careers due to the high stress and excess
paperwork. In some extreme cases special education teachers can spend up to fourteen hours a
week on paperwork. (education)
Time Management
As an educator I would have to look at all the work and hours upon hours of updating IEP files
and meeting with parents and other staff members and obligated to reach unreachable goals. As
a parent of a student with disabilities I would have a different outlook on what happens in a
school classroom. I would understand the heartache and frustration of being told my child could
not accell at the same rate of the other students or that they learn differently.

I would want to

have the best and most effective and thorough education for my child. I would want the teacher
to be patient and kind and go the extra mile to make sure my child was safe and learning. There
are many educators that give freely of their time and talents to assist the students in their learning
journey. However there are some who get caught up in the lack of funding and tight budget
restrictions and excessive paperwork that they turn away from the educational profession.

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In the classroom, a teacher has the great responsibility to instruct students and to teach
them life skills that will benefit a student for lifetime. Students learn to respect themselves and
others while learning responsibility and commitment. Teachers have the ability to influence
those teach, they become valuable role models for children and teenagers. The educational
system has some flaws for sure but there are many good things that come about. Regardless of
the work it takes for all the testing and following all the rules and regulations, the ability to raise
a successful and productive adult is worth all the effort taken by staff. Special education is a
tough field to work in but helping one student become productive is worth all the efforts.

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Works Cited

"Money Matters: A Primer on K12 School Funding." Money Matters: A Primer

on K12 School Funding. N.p., n.d. Web. 05 Nov. 2016.
https://education.ufl.edu/spense/files/2013/05/Paperwork.pdf
"It's Not Easy Teaching Special Ed." It's Not Easy Teaching Special Ed. N.p., n.d. Web.
"How to Create a Positive Learning Environment." How to Create a Positive Learning
Environment. N.p., 2015. Web.

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Raising Awareness. N.p., n.d. Web.