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Many districts in our state stuggle with meeting the needs of children with physical and developmental disabilites. Many are not able to provide the level of services that are recommended/needed for those children. This is especially the case for children in rural districts where therapists may have to travel several hours to get to the school for one child.

Yes, that's true. But at least there's an infrastructure for them. They have certain rights in the system that GT and other kids don't have. This is what I don't like.

Spending on special education is also way out of proportion, too (check here) . Look at table 3. Spending on special ed. is out of proportion to student numbers. Spending on gifted ed. isn't even mentioned in the paper but is very, very low in comparison.

Val

Agreed, Dottie. I don't like that sort of positioning either.

My whole point was that I think services are needed for the developmentally disabled, and I admire and wish to emulate the grassroots movement that those parents spearheaded that made inroads toward getting those services. I was NEVER comparing needs. I think services for BOTH tails of the Bell curve are needed.

I'd like to take a page from their book, since, as Val notes, there are at least some protections afforded to developmentally disabled kids. Our kids have no such rights.

And the middle too, I hope

I don't want anyone to think I was making comparisons in this way. I was only pointing out spending disparities. I've also said before that I think the system as a whole needs to be addressed.

I agree with others who've said that if a lot of personal attention can be given to kids with disabilities, it can be given to other kids as well.

Val