| As in other states, Michigan schools are seeing more | | | | complaints just nine years ago. Though most cases |
| and more parents of disabled children pulling them out | | | | are resolved before ever going to a hearing, the |
| of public schools, providing alternative private education, | | | | Michigan schools are seeing more and more parents |
| and then suing the Michigan Schools to foot the bill. It | | | | pulling their special needs children out of the public |
| has become a problem and growing expense for | | | | schools first, providing alternative education, and then |
| public schools across the nation, ever since the passing | | | | suing the Michigan schools' districts for compensation. |
| of the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, | | | | Some cases do not even involve services that the |
| which states that public schools are required to provide | | | | Michigan schools are obligated to provide. One family |
| special education students with a free, appropriate | | | | with an autistic 12-year-old, for instance, was told by |
| public education. Disputes arise when parents and | | | | their doctor that their son needed several hours each |
| school administrators are in conflict over what is | | | | week of speech therapy. They wanted the Michigan |
| appropriate. | | | | schools to provide this, but they offered 40 minutes |
| The Michigan Schools recently had its Birmingham | | | | each week, though they were not obligated by law to |
| school district sued by parents of a 17-year-old son | | | | provide any such services. The parents then went to |
| with bipolar, obsessive compulsive and Asperger's | | | | their insurance company, which paid for some of the |
| disorders, as well as other impairments. Andrew's | | | | therapy, as well. |
| condition has become more serious in recent years, | | | | The Lipsitt case was recently settled by a state |
| though Andrew's daily regimen of pills control his | | | | administrative law judge, who ruled in favor of the |
| otherwise violent and uncontrollable episodes. | | | | Lipsitt family. Judge Lauren Harkness ordered the |
| His parents believed he would be better educated at | | | | Michigan schools Birmingham district to pay for more |
| home with one-on-one instruction, where there would | | | | than two years of homebound special education, |
| be few distractions. Andrew had attended Groves | | | | stating that the district denied Andrew a free and |
| High School in Franklin; however, his parents took it | | | | appropriate public education. The district may appeal |
| upon themselves to pull him out and provide his | | | | the ruling. |
| education at home through private teachers. | | | | It is not that these children do not deserve these |
| Michigan schools officials in the Birmingham district | | | | services - they do; however, the Michigan schools |
| believe that Andrew would do better being educated | | | | have a limited budget to cover such services for all of |
| at the high school with other students, where he could | | | | the 242,000 special needs children. As the number of |
| improve his social skills. The dispute between parents | | | | such children rises, so does the state and federal |
| and Michigan schools administrators became a legal | | | | contributions to each school; however, the current |
| battle, with the parents seeking compensation of | | | | $723 million is not enough to cover the in-school costs |
| $113,000 to pay for the at-home private teachers and | | | | of special education, as well as the expenses incurred |
| therapists for the past three years, as well as to cover | | | | by parents who make alternative educational |
| these same expenses for one additional year. | | | | arrangements (usually private and expensive). |
| The Michigan schools district in Birmingham charged | | | | There is no doubt that, as a society, we need to |
| that they had provided the Lipsitt boy with appropriate | | | | provide an appropriate education for special needs |
| educational opportunities by shortening his school week | | | | children. To do so, without hurting other children |
| and providing classes with opportunities for him to learn | | | | (including those with special needs who attend public |
| to socialize (some in regular classroom settings). They | | | | school), the Michigan schools and other public school |
| made numerous attempts to create a special | | | | systems across the nation must develop a better |
| educational program for Andrew, all of which were | | | | method of communicating and working with the |
| rejected by his parents, who wanted him home | | | | parents of special needs children, the community and |
| schooled. | | | | government. Better funding and guidelines must exist |
| This is not the first such case for the Michigan schools | | | | for the schools, as well as other funding opportunities |
| that currently have 242,000 students, who receive | | | | for such parents to provide non-educational services |
| special educational services, and the number is | | | | needed for their children. Otherwise, the public schools |
| growing each year. In the 2005-2006 school year, the | | | | will be bankrupt paying for expensive educations and |
| Michigan schools saw 110 formal complaints over | | | | services for only a few. |
| special educational services. There were only 77 such | | | | |