What are some pros and cons of a special education program?

special education issues : Students who are under the “Special Education Umbrella” are varied and have special needs. What are some pros and cons of a special education program?

The answer about: What are some pros and cons of a special education program?

Answer by Beckee
Con: Even students in special education tend to do better in a general education setting.

Con: Paperwork burden. Nobody goes into special education because they like documentation, but they have to do plenty of it.

Con: In the most dysfunctional schools, special education can be like a roach motel: students go into special education, but they don’t come out until they graduate.

Con: Many students are placed into special education who do not have a disability or do not need it. The reasons for that include:

1. Parents who think of special education as a prize the school is trying to keep from them.

2. Teachers who do not want a student in their class who learns differently or has behavior issues .

3. Administrators who fear teachers or parents.

4. Differences and disadvantages, that are not disabilities, but cause kids to struggle in school. For example, when a parent dies, children‘s grades often drop. Is that a problem? Yes. Is it a disability? No.

5. Student has a diagnosis, and people assume they qualify if they have a physician’s report. If you don’t need special education, you don’t qualify, whatever the diagnosis. And if you don’t need it, it’s no service to the child.

6. Teams want to “open the door to services” for students who are struggling in school.

7. Some schools don’t have any other effective way to help students who are struggling in school.

8. The special education budget is based on the number and needs of special education students. Most other parts of the school budget come out of “here’s a little bit of money, do the best that you can with it”.

Con: “Wait to fail” approach fails students and their families. If you wait until a child has fallen two or three years beyond grade level, then qualify them for special education before you help them, they may never catch up. If you test them in first grade and find they are at risk, then put a reading intervention–for example–in place, they may never fall far enough behind to be considered for special education.

Con: the manifestation determination safeguards for special needs students–especially when poorly implemented–can interfere with the process of teaching students to make good behavior choices. Sheltering students from the logical consequences of their own actions–whether by an indulgent parent or an intimidated administrator–is not particularly helpful. Some students, such as those with ADHD, need immediate consequences to learn to control their actions. Manifestation determination may cause a necessary delay in those consequences.

Pro: If a student is properly tested and diagnosed, the information from evaluation can be very helpful in helping teacher get to know the child and meet their needs.

Pro: If a student is properly identified, teachers can consult with a specialist, such as a teacher of the hearing impaired, or an autism consulting teacher.

Pro: The things special education teachers learn by working with special needs students can also be used to help students in a general education setting.

Pro: A free and appropriate education for all students!

Answer by tayla_lee2000
slyvan learning center or acemics plus

Answer by sarahheleneiverson
There are many pros and cons of special education programs. As a special ed teacher I can testify to many on both sides. A pro to being in special education is the team that is assembled if a student qualifies for special ed called the IEP team will create a very personalized education program that will focus on the needs of a student. This can vary from anything from problems in math to writing to reading comprehension. The program is checked several times throughout the year to see if it does fit the student and is benefiting the student or if something needs to change.

This can also be a con. If the team does not carefully analze the student or does not do the follow up process, this does not work.

Another pro is the special education teacher is trained in different teaching strategies than the general education teacher. These teachers can recognize something in students that some general ed teachers cannot. They can also look outside the box.

Con is most special education teachers are very overworked. Most times these teachers barely have time to take care of the paperwork that is involved.

Pro is that most times students are able to be identified early and many of those with learning disabilities do not stay in special education their whole education career. Con is that many students are enabled and are in special ed when they do not need to be.

There are many others but I believe these are some of the tops.

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