Dive Brief:
- Finding their local schools are not meeting the needs of their children, parents of special needs students in Florida are taking advantage of a state voucher program to homeschool their children, NPR reports.
- One parent reported her special needs student was "in lock down classes with gang members," and others simply expressed frustration with bullying and a lack of progress for their students.
- Florida's is one of few voucher programs in the country which allows funding for homeschooling, and approximately 7,000 students in the state take advantage of the option. Florida Gov. Rick Scott is currently weighing a budget which includes a $30 million increase for the program.
Dive Insight:
Homeschooling is increasing in popularity throughout the country. In the 2015-16 school year, the number of homeschooled students was four times the number it was 20 years prior. The data seem to indicate a wide array of parents with varying ideologies, ethnicities and backgrounds make the choice to homeschool their students.
As vouchers and the individual quality of education take center stage in the priorities of President Trump and Education Secretary Betsy DeVos, there could be increased state support around the country for programs like Florida's. In a keynote address at the American Federation for Children’s National Policy Summit in Indianapolis Monday evening, the Secretary called for state leaders to invest more in individual students and empower families.
In an earlier interview with Education Dive, Beacon College President George Hagerty said special needs students do require more attention, but that attention does not differ widely from the attention and services students in other underserved groups require: one-on-one time and small group instruction go a long way in meeting the needs of these students. It is in this way that technology has a huge role to play in supporting special needs instruction, because of its ability to progress at the student's pace and provide instant feedback to instructors around where a student needs extra help.
But educator training is also an important piece of this puzzle, and districts must work harder to ensure staff are adequately prepared to support the needs of all students. The constant conflict between parents and school districts regarding the fulfillment of students’ Individualized Education Programs is evidence of the difficulty school districts find in offering what has been decided is necessary for a student’s education. It is not surprising that parents may not feel the protection offered by the promise of a fair and appropriate public education is worthwhile if the funds do not suffice to make the IEP a reality.
Pat Donachie contributed to this piece.
