Delaware Should “Raise The Bar” In Providing Education To Kids With Disabilities

Matt Denn, Democratic candidate for Lieutenant Governor, said Thursday the state should “raise the bar” for education services provided to children with disabilities, and announced the steps needed to do so, with Delaware’s leading disability advocates endorsing Denn’s ideas.

One in every six children in public schools has a disability - from mild to severe - and the number in private schools is believed similar, Denn said. Yet, the official state standard for their education is shockingly low.

“We speak in bold strokes - as we should - about what we expect our education system to provide to all of our children, with talk about ‘world class’ schools or ‘demanding excellence.’ Well, our state does not use those words in describing how it will educate students with disabilities,” Denn said.

“Delaware has the benefit of outstanding teachers and other professionals who work with our disabled children every day. But Delaware uses the minimum federal standard in determining what those professionals are permitted to do to educate kids with disabilities. Here it is, word for word, from a federal court opinion: ‘Children with disabilities are not entitled to a Cadillac education, but they are entitled to the equivalent of a serviceable Chevrolet,’ ” Denn said. “We would never, ever, ever accept that standard for our kids who are not impacted by disabilities. We shouldn’t accept it for kids with disabilities.”

Delaware should do what six other states have done, Denn said, and officially define the educational goal for children with disabilities as allowing them to fulfill their potential, not just receive a “serviceable” education.

Once the standard is raised, Denn proposed the following steps to better serve children with disabilities:

- Increase efforts to identify disabilities early, requiring Medicaid and private insurance to cover an inexpensive developmental screening test;
- Provide guidance and legal advice to parents who are navigating the labyrinth of disability programs;
- Simplify the funding formula for education of children with disabilities, eliminating wasteful and ill-defined procedures; and
- Get permission to use current federal Medicaid dollars to better serve children with disabilities.

Matt’s proposals were endorsed Thursday by leaders of Delaware’s disability community.

“We need more comprehensive services for children with special needs. Matt has taken a leadership role in not just identifying the problems, but also working with the disabilities’ community to find solutions and create a system that truly works,” said Artie and Marcy Kempner. Artie is board member and past president and Marcy is secretary of the Autism Delaware.

“I certainly support enhancing resources and services where the overarching goal is to improve the health, education and welfare of all children with a stong emphasis being on children with disabilities,” said Wendy Strauss, director of the Governor’s Advisory Council for Exceptional Citizens.

“Children with disabilities have historically been a segregated class within our educational systems in Delaware and nationally. To a certain extent, they remain segregated, including those children who are in the care of the State,” said Patricia Maichle, director of the Delaware Developmental Disabilities Council. “Parents must be empowered to support and advocate appropriately for their children. The system must become more flexible and accommodating so that every child with a disability will receive a free and appropriate education.”

“I endorse a service delivery system for children with disabilities, including education services, which leverages potential funding, can be easily navigated, provides simplified access to entitlements by parents and children, encourages early detection, and promotes programs and policies that enable children with disabilities to reach their maximum potential,” said Kyle Hodges, director of the State Council for Persons with Disabilities.

“Children with disabilities face enormous challenges in their efforts to become independent adults and, beyond that, to live out their dreams. We as a state should actively support these kids to overcome those obstacles,” Denn said. “It is the smart thing to do for the state economically, but more important than that, it is simply the right thing to do.”

Denn has centered his campaign - and will focus in his term as Lieutenant Governor - on issues affecting children, including education, health care, environmental issues and improving services to children who are abused, neglected, living in foster care, or overcoming disabilities.

To learn more about Matt Denn and his campaign, go to www.MattDenn.com.

*** Please note: The advocates who took part in the Denn press conference Thursday did so as individuals and not on behalf of their non-partisan organizations. Titles are for identification purposes only. ***