Multicultural education is a type of education that focuses on an approach to include all students and provide the best accommodations to their individual situations. Students with exceptionalities are those students who vary from the norm of their peers, either as with learning disabilities or those who are gifted and talented. Think about when you were in school. Accommodations for students with such exceptionalities include integration of students into typical and grade level classrooms, to substantially separate classrooms within the public school system, to private organizations that provide specialized education. (McNergney p. 54-59)
Free and Appropriate Education is provided by law to all students. Specialized education is extremely expensive. The federal government claims they will cover 40% of the educational costs that comes along with educating those who are learning disabled or gifted and talented. From a recent pole taken by ABC News, it is found that for the majority, the federal government only covers about 10% of those costs. School districts are struggling to keep up with the rising demand for special education services. Those students who are not successful in the public school setting are eligible for private education.
Deborah Toups, the spokesperson of the Gilroy Unified School district says that "In 2002, our unfunded special ed costs were about $170,000, this school year it's $3,200,000." This is a ridiculous amount of money for a school district to owe. Most school districts are afraid that if this rise in cost their school district will become bankrupt. Some school officials, who chose not to be named, admit that they are hesitant to provide private education for their students because of the cost. Private special education can range from $30,000-$70,000 a year. If a student is considered eligible for a one-one (one teacher to one student) then their tuition can sky above $70,000. The school district must provide the students this education if they cannot provide appropriate education and services in the public school setting. The school district is also expected to pay for transportation. As an example from my school, a student was having a conflict on the bus with a peer of theirs. The parents called the bus company and demanded that the student be taken off of the bus and put on a different bus by themselves. The bus company complied and now his school district had to pay for two buses transportation from the same area to the same school. Bottom line is the parents get what they want.
In my opinion, education in invaluable. Education should absolutely be provided to those who need it and if public education does not suite that child then it is the job of the district to find the student new and more appropriate placement. I do however feel that parents tend to take advantage of the system and do not completely understand how extremely expensive special education services are. School official are hesitant to send their students out of the public setting and into a private setting because of the high cost. One thing we need to keep in mind is that every student, regardless of learning abilities would benefit from specialized services, but it should only be provided to those who truly need it and will not succeed without the services.
The chart below provides a great visual reference of the costs in specialized education...
http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?section=news/education&id=7786691
http://www.learningrx.com/special-education-costs-faq.htm
http://www.metrowestdailynews.com/news/x121060135/More-students-complex-needs-higher-costs-in-special-education
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