This week, Darnestown Elementary School parents spoke out against reduced staffing and changes affecting the program serving students with autism at the school.
“We are protesting the unfair cuts to our childrens’ program,” Silvia Hou told MCM on Tuesday. She testified on the matter during Tuesday’s county council meeting, and also testified during a school board meeting last month. Her son attends the learning center. Hou said the changes are surprising not only in the changes itself, “but in the way that it was handled. We were left in the dark.”
During that school board meeting last month, Diana Wyles, Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) associate superintendent for special education, clarified that the program at Darnestown is not closing, but MCPS has decided to not send as many students with specific autism needs only to Darnestown, because a significant number of students with autism have come into the system or have been recently identified as students with autism.
Because MCPS does not anticipate sending as many students for FY25, the number of paraeducators there will be reduced by 6.125 and those paraeducators will be reassigned to different schools. There are 13 learning centers, all of which serve students with autism. Wyles said the goal originally was to increase capacity for all learning centers, so some students may not have to commute far to Darnestown. Noting autism is the top growing area of disability for students, Wyles said, “We want to be able to have students be educated as close as possible to their home. We want to build the capacity of our teachers who, whether or not they’re in a learning center classroom, they can support students with autism.”
Julie Suh, whose child attends the Darnestown program, told MCM it is hard for parents to present their case before MCPS leaders and the county, “because we don’t even know some of the very specific details. They seem like small details but it would impact the kids and the program very profoundly.” She also testified on the matter during Tuesday’s county council meeting as well as during last month’s school board meeting.
Related Post:
School District Changing Where Students with Autism Diagnosis are Enrolled
