School Board Delays Vote on Special Education Spending Plan (VA)

August 19, 2010

For the second time in nearly a month, the Williamsburg-James City County School Bo ard denied a stimulus fund spending plan Tuesday of more than $1.3 million for the district’s special education program. The Board sent staffers and a citizen advisory committee back to the drawing board to determine how to use the money.

After voting down two motions to approve staff’s spending proposal, the board asked W-JCC staffers and members of the division’s Special Education Advisory Committee — a group of residents and parents of special education students— to meet again to develop a plan both groups could agree on. Board Member Jim Kelly was also appointed to represent the School Board on the advisory committee.

Board members Joe Fuentes and John Alewynse were not present at the meeting.

The board’s decision followed several comments from advisory committee members who criticized the special education stimulus budget, saying many of the proposed expenses wouldn’t improve the students’ performance.

The proposal included money to pay for teacher training, technology and early intervention programs such as the Academy for Life and Learning, the middle school dropout prevention program. The bulk of the money, however, was proposed for more full-time personnel to support special education programs and students.

"This journey started a year ago and we shared our concern about the first portion of stimulus money and how it was spent," said Beth Haw, chairwoman of the advisory committee. "We asked to have our say on the how the second portion needed to be spent and not much has changed with the second proposal."

The board will revisit the proposal at its Sept. 7 meeting. In the meantime, plans to hire special education staff listed in the proposal will be put on hold until the board v otes on the spending plan.