Special ed programs will remain with county office

After months of packed meetings and protests, a superintendents council decided Friday against taking special education programs away from the Stanislaus County Office of Education.

At issue were rising fees charged by the county office to serve many of the districts' most disabled and difficult students. An expert panel concluded shifting county office programs to a local district would save an estimated $3.5 million yearly.

The county office agreed to cut fees charged to districts for special education services by 17.5 percent, roughly the same savings the experts recommended, over three years.

The superintendents voted unanimously to go along with the county office's three-year plan. Their council oversees special education in Stanislaus County outside of Modesto City Schools, which runs its own programs.

For next year, the county office trimmed administrative costs and teachers accepted a health benefits cap. It also raised some special education class sizes slightly, a move resisted by teachers and parents.

"I'm glad we get to keep the classes with SCOE. The (class size) is going to be a little scary," said parent Kristine Kellogg after the meeting.

Teacher Margie Miller said the decision was a relief, but criticized what she sees as compromises in safety and program quality. She added that the higher health care costs will be hard.

"It's been a rough road and everyone's exhausted. We all feel good that we're staying — it's just the process. We feel it was basically a strategic move (by superintendents)," Miller said.

The Stanislaus Association of Certificated Personnel voted overwhelmingly Tuesday to accept limits on health benefits for the first time, cutting the county's cost of as much as $18,000 per employee to $8,000 to $12,000, Superintendent of Schools Tom Changnon said. County support staff and managers get $6,250 each in health benefits.

The vote did not reduce salaries, but many teachers will for the first time face co-pays, a deductible and premiums being deducted from their paychecks, said county Assistant Superintendent of Business Services Don Gatti.

Miller teaches at John F. Kennedy School, a special education campus in Ceres run by the county office for youth deemed too aggressive or too medically fragile to attend a neighborhood school. Class sizes already are higher and injuries are happening, she said.

"As parents and teachers, we're going to have to be really diligent now," Miller said.

Changnon said the agreement "took considerable compromising," but was for the best. "From our perspective, it was the best possible scenario. It's a very happy day for SCOE," Changnon said after the meeting.

Salida Union Superintendent Twila Tosh said, "It worked out. I hope that the families will get some peace."

She said providing special education services are a stretch for smaller districts like hers. Tosh said doesn't see that changing even with Friday's agreement, but at least costs won't continue to rise.

Next year, the county office will offer retirement incentives to its most senior teachers to help reach the reduction goal, Changnon said.

Friday's resolution includes provisions to restart the process if the county office fails to meet yearly targets.

Bee education reporter Nan Austin can be reached at naustin@modbee.com or (209) 578-2339.