June 1, 2007

Dear Members of JCAR,

Illinois Council for Exceptional Children (ICEC) is the voice of special education in Illinois that represents children and young adults with disabilities, their parents, special education teachers and related service personnel. 

 We write this letter to you to reiterate the Illinois Council for Exceptional Children’s position on the proposed changes to 226.730 (c).  On October 28, 2005, the Delegate Assembly which is the governing body for the membership of the organization took official action to oppose any changes in class size.  We believe the current (not the proposed) class size/caseload as stated is critical to facilitate the provision of effective services to children with disabilities and their parents, as well as to improve the working conditions of special educators.

Our members are very concerned with the proposed changes in class size and how it will affect their students’ success.  With every additional student in the classroom, there will be less instructional contact time for each individual student with an identified disability.

Tennessee’s Project STAR and Wisconsin’s SAGE Program, clearly identify the benefits of smaller classrooms.  These benefits include:

• achievement gains, especially among poor and minority students
• greater individual attention and teacher knowledge of individual student progress
• fewer classroom discipline disruptions
• faster and more in-depth coverage of content
• more student-centered classroom strategies, such as special interest learning centers
• greater parent teacher contact and parent satisfaction
• reduced classroom stress and greater enjoyment of teaching. 

Needless to say, an increased class size challenges the delivery of effective specialized supports and instruction for students with disabilities.

Unfortunately, policies based on convenience are impacting special education instruction for students with disabilities.  It is imperative that JCAR and the Illinois State Board of Education listen to the experienced voices and leaders in special education.

The Illinois Council for Exceptional Children strongly recommends that you take no action on June 12th on Part 226.730(c).  We hope this will force ISBE to listen to the voices of special educators.

Sincerely,

How can you voice your objections to Part 226 changes?

1. You can send an e-mail to JCAR at: jcar@ilga.gov
   You must do this as soon as possible.
   (Put "Part 226, Special Education" in the Subject line.)
   
2. Contact the members of the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules.
   
   Their names and numbers follow...

MEMBERS OF THE JOINT COMMITTEE ON ADMINISTRATIVE RULES

TESTIMONY TO THE ILLINOIS STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION
CONCERNING THE PROPOSED CHANGES TO THE SPECIAL EDUCATION RULES
BY THE ILLINOIS COUNCIL FOR EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN

     The Illinois Council for Exceptional Children (ICEC) has reviewed the proposed special education rules and wishes to focus attention on our opposition to the proposed  226.730 dealing with class size.  On October 28, 2005, the Delegate Assembly which is the governing body for the membership of the organization took official action to oppose any changes in class size.  We believe that it is critical to improve the working conditions of special education teachers in an effort to assure the provision of effective services for children with disabilities and their parents.

     If teachers have a tremendous increase in class size (which is what 226.730 proposes), children with disabilities cannot receive the specialized educational services to meet their individual needs. Within the proposal, it would be possible that a special education teacher could serve over 100 children in a day (if all the students are removed for less than 20 percent of the school day from the general education class).  This creates a situation in which there will no longer be appropriate special education services for children with disabilities who need those services. 

     If the children with disabilities spend a majority of their time within the general education classroom, the special education teacher must not only provide the specially designed instruction needed for the child but the special education teacher must also provide consultation to the classroom teacher on the appropriate accommodations and possible modifications for the student.   To provide quality services, the special education teacher must have a reasonable number of students. 

     We believe that the class size and caseload provisions should be maintained.  Statewide efforts should focus on what we can do to help teachers to provide the needed services to children.  We must work to retain special education teachers; not drive them out of the field.  We must all work to provide the appropriate services to children with disabilities.  Diluting services and expertise will only leave more children with special needs behind, including those who are struggling in a classroom and not in special education. 

     To increase the percentage of children with disabilities who can be in the general education classroom will increase the risk that the classroom teacher will not be able to provide the necessary accommodations for the students with disabilities. Classroom teachers need more support and training to meet the diverse needs of the learners in their classrooms.  Increasing the percentage of students in those classes will hinder this support; especially with the proposal to increase class size that special education teachers would have.  Under this proposal, special education teachers will have less time to provide support to classroom teachers.

     We also wish to voice our concerns about the format of these regulations.  The State Special Education Regulations should be inclusive of the Federal law and regulations.  It should not be necessary for individuals to have to research several documents to gain the answer to a question concerning the provisions of special education.

June 9, 2007

Joint Committee on Administrative Rules
700 Stratton Building
Springfield, IL 62706

Dear JCAR Staff:

The Illinois Council for Exceptional Children (ICEC) is the voice of
special education in Illinois that represents children and young adults
with disabilities, their parents, special education teachers and related
service personnel.

The Executive Board of Directors of ICEC approved the following motion on
June 7, 2007:

The Illinois Council for Exceptional Children (ICEC) urges the members of
JCAR to take NO ACTION on June 13, 2007, regarding Part 226 of the
Illinois Administrative Code in anticipation that this action will force
ISBE to listen to the voices of special educators and parents concerned
with the welfare of children and youth with disabilities in the State of
Illinois.

Sincerely,

Heather Tratt
ICEC President