Report: Schools Should Consolidate Special Ed (CA)

July 13, 2010

Combining special education services across multiple school districts could save money while maintaining access to tailored services, according to a San Mateo County Civil Grand Jury report released Wednesday.

About 12 percent of the county’s 86,000 public school students are in special education. Some districts in the north county — Bayshore, Brisbane, Jefferson, Pacifica, South San Francisco and San Bruno — pay considerably less from their general fund for services compared to other school districts. On average, elementary school districts not in the consortium pay 11.8 percent out of their general fund for special education services. If those districts would combine efforts, it would create a cost savings, according to the findings in the 10-page report.

In 1975, Congress passed the In dividuals with Disabilities Education Act, known as IDEA, giving any child with a handicap a free and appropriate education. Defining a handicap has changed over the years and now includes 13 categories. Originally, the law specified that 40 percent of the costs for providing an appropriate education be covered by federal funds. That contribution has never been greater than 20 percent, leaving local school districts to make up the difference.

The amount paid per district varies for many reasons: Number of children with special needs, the types of services needed and ability to offer said services.

A number of school districts — Bayshore, Brisbane, Jefferson, Pacifica and South San Francisco — joined together as the North County Special Education Consortium in 2006 to share services. In 2008, the San Bruno Park Elementary School District joined.

David Hutt, superintendent of the San Bruno Park Elementary School District, said joining did have a dollars and cents aspect, but there are other benefits.

For example, kids are placed in classrooms closer to home. This may not seem like a significant change, but taking classes amongst local kids gives children a chance to meet friends they can play with after school.

“It’s something you don’t think about a lot. Who are the kids going to play with when they’re home?,” Hutt said, adding the decision to join was largely kid-driven.

Hutt called the grouping a great example of shared services within school districts, a move which the governor has encouraged.

When looking at elementary school districts in the consortium, the grand jury found the special education costs from the general fund to cost 7.7 percent on average. Other elementary school districts in the county, on the other hand, pay 11.8 percent on average.

Some districts pay more than that.

Belmont-Redwood Shores Elementary School District, for example, puts 20.46 percent of its general fund toward special education costs — the highest percentage in the county. The district also has the largest percentage of students, 16.24 percent, enrolled in special education.

Ravenswood Elementary School District also pays more than the average from its general fund, 15.51 percent, followed by San Carlos Elementary School District at 14.44 percent and Burlingame Elementary School District with 13.25 percent.

Looking at these high costs, the grand jury recommended districts not in the consortium should replicate such a partnership. Working together is only part of the solution. Advocating for the full funding promised under federal law while lobbying to maintain state education funding is also necessary, according to the report.