HOUSTON—Marching in time with her drill team, Kiara looks like any other 10-year-old.
She has spunk, too, that allows her to communicate beyond words. It helps her get her message across.
Kiara is deaf, and her stepdad says her special-education classes in HISD have helped her both in the class room and out.
"They help her in sports and stuff, track, reading, writing, math—stuff like that—it’s just cool," said Ray Eseke.
So Eseke and Kiara were concerned when HISD announced they’re doing away with 200 special-education positions and looking to place those teachers in other areas.
It wasn’t clear which teachers and which schools would be affected, but for some special-ed students, familiar faces may be missing this year.
"It’s wrong, because kids like her, they need help," said Eseke.
The Houston Federation of Teachers doesn’t like it, either.
"There’s no cost reduction but they’re just taking teachers out of the classroom," said Andy Dewey of the Houston Federation of Teachers.
The teacher’s union argues that the district shouldn’t cut positions when there’s $35 million in unspent annual federal funding for special education. The district said that money is for the 2010-2011 school year and will be spent.
As the special-ed teachers learned their jobs were being phased out, they called the union.
Dewey said many of the callers were upset about the late notice.
The teachers are under contract, so they’ll be paid.
HISD said the number of special-ed students has dropped from 21,000 to 16,500, so they don’t need as many teachers.
"We really have just been way too generous with the number of teaching staff we’ve had in this district over the years," said Sowmya Kumar, the HISD Assistant Superintendent of Special Education.
HISD said special-ed teachers that were cut could apply for other vacancies in the district.
"The teachers will have employment for the whole year, we’re not looking to lose anyone and we’re not looking reduce services to any students," said Kumar.
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