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Myles BarkerParents and teachers came together Wednesday night to share their views on improving special education programs in Fresno Unified schools. The district has faced criticism for years that it doesn’t adequately support its special needs students.
Reducing the number of students in special ed classrooms was among the top issues discussed.
“Special education is about individualized education and having small class sizes to work with kids,” said Gina Jones, a special education teacher at Roosevelt High School.
Trying to manage 15 or more students at the high school level, Jones said, is often too much to handle. “It becomes behavior management rather than classroom management and trying to teach,” she said.
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According to an FTA survey of 1,400 Fresno Unified teachers, Jones is not alone in her view.A wider variety of program options for special education students is what Melissa Felder believes is needed.
“Fresno Unified as a whole is lacking in vocational education, not only for general education students but special education students as well,” said Felder, a special education teacher at Bullard High School.
Hoover High teacher AJ Pipkin said more qualified classroom aides are needed as well.
“Two weeks into the school year I have an aide dumped in my class and I have to teach her,” she said. “I don’t get paid to teach her, I get paid to teach my students.”
Following his appointment in 2017, Superintendent Bob Nelson requested a review of the district’s special education program by the Council of the Great City Schools. The group issued its report last summer.
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