Education Week has details of the nonsense:
Lisa Muller, the assistant superintendent for curriculum and school improvement for the Jenks school district, said that in addition to concerns about the mismatch between the state constitution and the new law, Jenks officials are concerned that private schools are not obliged by federal law, as public school districts are, to honor the individualized education program, or IEP, of a student with a disability.
?Our concern is that many parents may not understand the protections they are giving up by requesting these scholarships,? she said.
She added that while some private schools are designed to serve students with disabilities and do a good job of it, many private schools aren?t set up for that task, such as when it comes to providing physical or occupational therapy.
It is not her job to interpret the constitutionality of the issue. Moreover, it is not her job to worry about special education services provided by private schools.
By the way, Lisa Muller, back up. Let’s give parents some credit here. These parents have spent years caring for their special needs children, navigating state and federal special education laws, monitoring district services, and communicating with teachers and administrators. In other words, these parents have the knowledge and experience to make an informed educational choice.
Update: For more information, go here.
