Connecticut’s newly formed Select Committee on Special Education is wrapping up its statewide listening tour as parents and education advocates listed a litany of ongoing issues, from early placement to lack of special education teachers.
The criticism comes as members of the state legislature prepare to request more special education funding for this year’s budget session.
State Sen. Sujata Gadkar-Wilcox, a Democrat, representing Bridgeport, Trumbull and Monroe, is the committee's co-chair. Gadkar-Wilcox says many parents have complained their children’s schools are not adequately placing them in specialized classes.
“Sometimes students have not been identified for placement in specialization education,” Gadkar-Wilcox said. “Sometimes we have situations where we have language learners that if we had better early intervention programs, they would not be misidentified.”
One such parent, Tara Mientus, an educator who declined to say where she worked, spoke at the final listening session in Hartford Thursday and has a daughter with double deficit dyslexia.
“If she had gotten her diagnosis earlier, she would have been able to probably meet remediation and close the gap,” Mathis said. “And currently she is not closing the gap, and she is entering ninth grade, and this is very concerning.”
Gov. Ned Lamont proposed a $54 million increase earlier this month, but Gadkar-Wilcox said it only begins to address the problem.
“Every advocate and superintendent and Board of Ed will tell you that, even though it sounds like a lot, $54 million is not a lot, even to account for the deficit of the costs that have already been spent,” she said.
Lamont’s office was reached for comment but did not respond by Thursday evening.
Gadkar-Wilcox says part of the reason why the $54 million doesn’t solve the issue, is the high transportation costs associated with busing students outside their districts, as a result of the schools not having the capacity to provide the required services.
CT Mirror previously reported the proposal would only take place starting 2026, as advocates worry about reduced federal investments.
Gadkar-Wilcox said members of the committee will soon start working on negotiation efforts during the state’s budget session. Parents have also called for the state to implement a special education ombudsman to facilitate discussions between state officials and parents.
Tom Cosker lives in Rocky Hill and said his child has multiple disabilities and has been positively impacted by being able to learn within his regular school, among peers.
“What we're looking for is to really reduce the reliance on outplacements of students with special education needs, both from a cost savings, but more importantly, just from keeping our students included in their home district,” Cosker said.
