The most neglected population in the U.S. are students with disabilities, especially students of color with disabilities.   However, in DCPS, the special educators who service them are not afforded the support and time to implement the IEP of students with disabilities, ensuring their academic and emotional success.  We are bogged down with excessive paper work, having to operate as administrative assistants, substitute teachers, instructors and case managers.  

DCPS's budgetary resources have not been used to provide special education teachers with coordinators and administrative assistants to handle a majority of the paper work so that special education teachers can focus on what we do best --- teach children and engage with families.  With new DCPS mandates and other requirements having little to do with IDEA, the burden and responsibility to complete these administrative duties have fallen on the backs of special education teachers.  As a result, Special Education teachers are leaving the DC Public School system at a high rate, burdened and trapped under mountains of paper work with no help in sight. 

In DCPS, special education teachers have as little as 45 minutes a day to plan content lessons, provide accommodations, test students, attend IEP meetings, get signatures, provide meeting notes, call parents, create recovery plans, write quarterly IEP Progress Reports, attend Special Education meetings, provide substitute coverage and much more.  Special Education teachers are forced to work at home, over 500 minutes a week in order to complete 70% of the DCPS created mandates. However, none of these mandates have improved the performance of students with disabilities in the District of Columbia.

 The District of Columbia Public School (DCPS) refuses to provide administrative assistance and stop the excessive paper work forced upon Special Education teachers.  We are given little to no time to actually implement the IEP and reach out to parents.  As a result, students with disabilities have continued to decrease in performance, and special education teachers are fleeing the DC Public Schools at high rates.  

Ignoring these issues  sends a signal that students with disabilities are not a priority. To fix the problem, we need to put a spotlight on it.

That’s why I’m calling for the DC Council and other leaders within the District of Columbia to call for a stop to the excessive/wasteful paperwork.  I'm calling on the DC Council to call for more hands on administrative assistance to Special Education teachers, allowing them to focus on implementing the student's IEP. 

 DCPS Special Education teachers need your support.  DCPS cannot afford to lose any more special education teachers. Will you join me? Please sign the petition today.