Fairfax County, VA planning to cut 50% of spec. ed pre-school teacher slots

[Guest guest]

Fellow residents of Fairfax, County, VA,

My 28 month old son, , has apraxia of speech and is attending

a special education pre-school in Fairfax County, VA. He is making

fantastic progress though he still cannot spontaneously communicate

via words that much. His teachers are actually teaching him to use

words, one word at a time.

Because of projected budget shortfalls in the next year, the budget of

the Fairfax County special education pre-school program is being

dramatically and disproportionately targeted, with 50% of staff

positions being slotted for elimination in 2008 - 2009. Early

intervention in pre-school for children under the age of 5

substantially reduces the amount of services that those children will

need later in life and results in savings for the budget as a whole in

the long run. These cuts are being made in the face of more demand

for these services than ever before and despite the fact that many

classes are already over-enrolled. Kids in pre-school with special

needs are the most vulnerable and at-risk in the entire school system.

You can view the proposed budget at:

http://www.fcps.edu/fs/budget/brochures/proposed2009.pdf

Please contact the at-large members of the Fairfax County School Board

and your personal regional school board representative to let them

know that you support staffing of the special education pre-school at

the current levels.

Here is the contact info for school board members:

http://www.fcps.edu/schlbd/members.htm

The public hearing on the budget is scheduled for February 6th.

Even if your child is not yet old enough to attend pre-school, please

let your voice be heard.

Feel free to e-mail me if you have any questions.