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KW writes: Today, the NY State Board of Regents made decisions that overturned 20 years of rights given to students with autism in New York State. There had been in place a much-needed requirement that students with autism be entitled to 5 days of speech a week. Those speech/social skills classes would help those students: defend themselves with words against bullies; learn how to express their needs and fears; and develop into more successful adults. But, the Regents has thrown caution to the wind, and made it harder for families to get those services from school districts.
I hope you will consider contacting the members of the Board of Regents and expressing your dismay. I am not sure if there is any review on a decision-by-decision basis by Governor Paterson or Governor-Elect Cuomo, but I think people should let them know that this was a nasty place to start making school budget cuts.
An article reporting on the vote is below. And, at the bottom, a list of the NY Board of Regents. When bureaucrats make decisions like this, decisions that harm and take rights away from the weakest among us, we should not let it go by like water under the bridge.
(excerpt from) CBS2
NYS Board Of Regents Strikes Down Autism Mandates
Many Parents Fear School Districts Will Now Cut Speech Therapy
November 16, 2010 7:31 PM
CBS 2’s Tony Aiello reports the state Board of Regents on Tuesday voted down a long-time rule that mandated speech and language services for autistic kids…
For more than 20 years the Regents said kids with autism had to receive five-day-a-week therapy and students who qualified for so-called “related services” had to get two days a week of speech and language.
However, Conte said he fears without a mandate from Albany, “the district plans to eliminate them; they won’t pay for them.”…
Background article on this action, with a list and links for autism advocacy groups that opposed it at onthewilderside: here.
To reach the members of the NY State Board of Regents:
David Steiner, Commissioner
New York State Education Department
89 Washington Avenue
Albany, New York 12234
(518) 474-5844
Merryl H. Tisch, Chancellor
9 East 79th Street
N.Y., N.Y. 10075
Phone (212) 879-9414
RegentTisch@mail.nysed.gov
Milton L. Cofield, Vice Chancellor
Judicial District VII – Cayuga, Livingston, Monroe, Ontario, Seneca,
Steuben, Wayne, Yates
98 Hickory Ridge Road
Rochester, N.Y. 14625
Phone (585) 200-6284
RegentCofield@mail.nysed.gov
Robert M. Bennett, Chancellor Emeritus
Judicial District VIII — Allegany, Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Erie,
Genesee, Niagara, Orleans and Wyoming
201 Millwood Lane
Tonawanda, NY 14150
Phone: (716) 645-1344
RegentBennett@mail.nysed.gov
James C. Dawson
Judicial District IV — Clinton, Essex, Franklin, Fulton, Hamilton,
Montgomery, St. Lawrence, Saratoga, Schenectady, Warren, Washington
166 U.S. Oval
Plattsburgh, NY 12903
(518) 324-2401
RegentDawson@mail.nysed.gov
Anthony S. Bottar
Judicial District V — Herkimer, Jefferson, Lewis, Oneida, Onondaga,
and Oswego
120 Madison Street, Suite 1600, AXA Tower II
Syracuse, NY 13202
(315) 422-3466
RegentBottar@mail.nysed.gov
Geraldine D. Chapey
Judicial District XI — Queens
107-10 Shore Front Parkway, Apt. 9C
Belle Harbor, NY 11694
Phone: (718) 634-8471
RegentChapey@mail.nysed.gov
Harry Phillips, III
Judicial District IX — Dutchess, Orange, Putnam, Rockland and Westchester
71 Hawthorne Way
Hartsdale, NY 10530
Phone: (914) 948-2228
RegentPhillips@mail.nysed.gov
James R. Tallon, Jr.
Judicial District VI – Broome, Chemung, Chenango, Cortland, Delaware,
Madison, Otsego, Schuyler, Tioga, Tompkins
United Hospital Fund
Empire State Building
350 Fifth Avenue, 23rd Floor
New York, N.Y. 10118-0110
Phone (212) 494-0777
RegentTallon@mail.nysed.gov
Roger Tilles
Judicial District Nassau, Suffolk
100 Crossways Park West, Suite 107
Woodbury, N.Y. 11797
Phone (516) 364-2533
RegentTilles@mail.nysed.gov
Karen Brooks Hopkins
Judicial District II – Kings
30 Lafayette Avenue
Brooklyn, N.Y. 11217
Phone (718) 636-4135
RegentHopkins@mail.nysed.gov
Charles R. Bendit
Judicial District I – Manhattan
111 Eighth Avenue, Suite 1500
New York, N.Y. 10011
Phone (212) 220-9945
RegentBendit@mail.nysed.gov
Betty A. Rosa
Judicial District XII – Bronx
Chambreleng Hall, Fordham University
441 East Fordham Road
Bronx, N.Y. 10458
Phone (718) 817-5053
RegentRosa@mail.nysed.gov
Lester W. Young, Jr.
55 Hanson Place Suite 400
Brooklyn N.Y. 11217
Phone (718) 722-2796
RegentYoung@mail.nysed.gov
Christine D. Cea
Judicial District XIII –Richmond
NYS Institute for Basic Research in Developmental Disabilities
1050 Forest Hill Roada۬, Staten Island, NY 10314
Phone (718) 494-5306
Wade S. Norwood
74 Appleton Street
Rochester, NY 14611
Phone (585) 436-294
RegentNorwood@mail.nysed.gov
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Filed under: Action Alert!, children, Education, new york, New York State Politics, News, politics, progressive politics Tagged: | autism, autism advocacy, autism awareness, Board of Regents, David Steiner, education advocacy, Education reform, Governor Cuomo, Merryl Tisch, Milton Cofield, NY schools, NY State, NY State Board of Regents, Special Education, special services, speech services
It’s a cost-saving move because so many students have been forced into special education services when the Regents eliminated the non-Regents General Diploma. We used to have the General Diploma as an option for kids who found the Regents level too difficult in some subjects. Now, there is only the college prep Regents diploma. When kids fail, the only alternative is extremely expensive special education services. 10-15% of all NYS students are classified as “disabled”! Many are not disabled at all and simply need non-Regents. To help pay for the explosion in special ed, the kids who really do need it, like the subject of this article, are getting shortchanged.
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