{"id":747,"date":"2024-02-12T10:25:07","date_gmt":"2024-02-12T15:25:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.alliancewaukesha.org\/index.php\/2024\/02\/12\/an-exchange-between-a-parent-and-a-board-member-copy\/"},"modified":"2024-02-12T20:02:52","modified_gmt":"2024-02-13T01:02:52","slug":"critical-shortage-of-sped-staff-open-letter","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.alliancewaukesha.org\/index.php\/2024\/02\/12\/critical-shortage-of-sped-staff-open-letter\/","title":{"rendered":"Critical Shortage of Special Education Staff Affecting SDW Students"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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(Espa\u00f1ol abajo<\/a>)<\/p> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n

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The School District of Waukesha (SDW) is not fully meeting the needs of its students with disabilities. Staffing shortages are leading to current staff being overworked, and students\u2019 IEP minutes not being met. The Alliance has received permission to publish this email exchange between a district parent (and former SDW teacher) and Dr. Sebert. The parent repeatedly raises questions about what the district is doing to fill the numerous open SPED positions and to reduce turnover. Dr. Sebert’s answer is vague and insufficient, particularly given the seriousness and legal ramifications of the situation.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The Alliance is concerned that litigation will be the only solution that will get SDW and Dr. Sebert to address this situation with the seriousness and speed it deserves.<\/p>\n

If you suspect your student is being affected by this situation and not having the terms of their IEP met, please contact the Alliance<\/strong><\/a> and we will do our best to connect you with people and resources that can assist you. We also encourage you to contact Elisabeth Lambert with the Wisconsin Education Law & Policy Hub (ELPH)<\/a><\/strong>. She can help you understand your student\u2019s rights, and your options for how to enforce them.<\/p> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n

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Hello,<\/p>\n

I am writing to bring to light a concern that I have about the current state of our SPED staffing. I thought since today’s Discover SDW topic was “Student Services\/Special Education”, today was a good day for this discussion. As a stakeholder who is committing the time to be part of this group so that I can ask these questions and get clarity on these concerns, it was deeply concerning that despite it being the topic presented, no one seemed to know the current state of our SPED staffing. When asked who I should ask about this, I was told that Jennifer Gennerman could get the information, but didn’t know “off the top of her head”, but I argue that she should know. As should Dr. Sebert and every other director and administrator in SDW. As of 2\/9 there are at least 14 Special Education Educator openings, with five new SPED resignations\/retirements on the upcoming board agenda. With each current, active opening there are students whose legal minutes are not being met. This should be in the forefront of every administrator’s mind. This is crucial and urgent. How could the presenter of this topic, knowing they are in a room of invested stakeholders, here to discuss this exact topic, not be aware of these openings? Instead, what was shared was the exact same general information already shared at the School Board Meetings.<\/p>\n

Here are the current SPED openings (as of 2\/9):<\/p>\n