District opposes new language

PALMER -- The Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District has joined forces with Kenai Peninsula School District and the Anchorage School District to oppose changes in the language of the state's foundation formula for special education funding. Commissioner of Education Roger Sampson has requested comment from across state regarding the purposed new language; the Alaska State School Board is scheduled to consider the proposed revisions in March.

The new language deals with those students with disabilities who meet the seven criteria needed to be classified as "intensive." Students who are eligible for intensive services receive funding at five times the rate of normal funding; the district receives approximately $20,000 per intensive student. The proposed changes are intended to clarify the seven criteria and services related to intensive special education students, but those in opposition to the changes say it will negatively impact the way intensive funding is used.

"We are not arguing that it is inappropriate to provide free education; all of our students, regardless of their handicap, currently attend public school," said Michael Melear, director of student support services. "But theses services are very expensive… for years we have been trying to fund the services required by law. By being creative we've been able to do it, but it's been a big challenge."

Melear's argument is that the new wording would require each intensive student to have a special education aide watching over him or her when he or she is not under the direct supervision of a certified special education teacher. The operative word is "each" student. Currently students are required to be supervised, but depending on the student's needs, a paraprofessional may watch two or three students, instead of an aide for each. Supervisory need is determined on an individual basis. An example of the impact of the new wording is the number of aides that would be required to transport students to and from school. The Mat-Su district has 285 intensive students currently enrolled in school; each of those students would require his or her own transportation aide if the new language is approved. Melear says students are already adequately supervised during transportation and other out-of-classroom situations, and that requiring extra aides would be an unnecessary use of human resources.

"I think [the wording] should remain the same," Melear said. "If there are questions about how to interpret it, I feel it is very well explained in Alaska's own state procedures."

In a letter to the Alaska Department of Education and Early Development, both Melear and chief school administrator Bob Doyle express that the district already has a difficult time finding the funding to develop appropriate special education programs, and that the proposed requirement of a one-on-one aide to each student when some students could be adequately supervised in a two-on-one or more setting is unnecessary and would substantially increase the per pupil cost. The Mat-Su school board recently passed a resolution also requesting the state school board to carefully consider the changes being presented.

The district also reminds the state that the cost of educating an intensive needs student is much greater than the amount provided by both the state and the federal government. While the state's funding formula provides $20,000 each year per pupil, and the federal government provides around $1,230 per pupil, the district cost is close to $100,000 per pupil per year. The district says the new wording would increase the amount spent per intensive need student, without significantly changing either the quality of that student's education or the amount funded by the state.

"There are a lot of repercussions for what is supposed to be a semantics change," Melear said.