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March 2006
Dr. Kevin Lang, Chair
Brookline School Committee
333 Washington St.
Brookline, MA 02446
Dear Dr. Lang:
We are writing to urge you and your colleagues on the School Committee to revise the proposed FY07 School Budget to include a full-time Board-Certified Behavioral Analyst (BCBA). Our children are the faces of the much-discussed increase in autism spectrum disorders (ASD). As parents, we have an obligation to speak out for our children, and to ensure that our schools are equipped to handle the increasing number of Brookline children with ASD.
Successful inclusion of children with ASD requires a team approach involving administrators, teachers, specialists, aides and other professionals. A critical component of this team approach is the BCBA. In short, Board Certified Behavior Analysts are autism experts -- specialists trained to deal with the complex behavioral, social, and communication deficits that afflict all children with ASD.
The proposed FY07 Budget for the Brookline Public Schools calls for the hiring of a part-time BCBA to help meet the needs of these children. This recommendation is a step in the right direction, and we commend Superintendent Lupini and the Brookline Public Schools for taking that step.
However, the addition of one part-time BCBA will not be sufficient to meet the needs of the large number of children with autism spectrum disorders about to enter the K-8 level in Brookline. Currently, there is only one full-time BCBA on staff at the K-8 level in Brookline. One full-time BCBA and one part-time BCBA cannot realistically be expected to meet the needs of children with autism spectrum disorders in all eight of Brookline’s K-8 schools.
With only the proposed new part-time BCBA position, it will be difficult if not impossible for Brookline to adequately serve children with ASD. Litigation and costs associated with out-of-district placements are likely to rise, easily outweighing the cost of additional BCBA support.
Accordingly, we urge the School Committee to utilize funds currently designated for the proposed special education contingency account for the hiring of a full-time BCBA for children at the K-8 level, and to replenish the contingency account if and when additional funds become available. This “short money” investment will make an enormous difference in the ability of Brookline to meet the needs of children with autism at the K-8 level, and will allow Brookline to avoid unnecessary litigation and costs associated with out-of-district placements.
Thank you for this opportunity to address our children’s educational needs. Please feel free to contact Lisel and Mark Macenka at 617-566-4234 or Beth and Brad Kramer at 617-566-3652 if you would like to discuss this matter.
Sincerely,
cc: Brookline School Committee Members
Dr. William H. Lupini, Superintendent of Schools
Dr. Jennifer Fisher-Mueller, Deputy Superintendent for Teaching and Learning
Nancy Lane, Assistant Superintendent for Student Services
Nancy Shea, Co-Chair, SEPAC
Margaret Talmers, Co-Chair, SEPAC |
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(fields marked with * are required)
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Mark Macenka
Lisel Macenka
Beth Kaufman Kramer
Brad Kramer
Pam Katz
Susan Senator
Alex Olawaiye,M.D |
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