'Exhausted' Special Ed Parents Fight D-205: Official

ELMHURST, IL — The six candidates for the Elmhurst School District 205 board had much good to say about the local special education program during a weekend event, with one challenger calling it "top-notch." Yet a board member said the program's parents are "exhausted" fighting the district.

"I'm told that parents need to advocate for their children at every turn," board member Jim Collins said during a virtual forum sponsored by the League of Women Voters. "Clearly, there is a reason they assume fighting is a more practical option than having a conversation. I think many of our special ed parents are simply exhausted."

Collins, who has been on the board for a dozen years, said its role is not to write the curriculum, but it can advocate for a change in attitude.

"If people trust they are being heard, they are far more likely to view their relationship with our district as collaborative, instead of combative," he said. "I think board members can work to build a more meaningful conversation with the special education parents."

Another candidate, Marie Gall, called the district's special education program "top-notch" and "phenomenal."

"I have found this program very timely, very responsive and very comprehensive," said Gall, a bilingual elementary school teacher in another district.

At the same time, Gall said she was surprised that special education parents in certain instances come with lawyers to meetings on special needs plans for their children "to make sure there is an advocacy for their child's needs," while other families cannot afford such resources.

The district, Gall said, should strive to make sure all special education families have equal opportunities, regardless of their ability to hire lawyers.

The school board's president, Kara Caforio, said she is the parent of a special needs child, describing herself as "acutely aware" of the program's strengths and challenges. She credited the addition of classes, the ability of teachers to get reading specialist endorsements, the addition of assistant principals and instructional coaches at each school for more support, and expanded professional development.

"There will always be challenges," Caforio said. "I believe a pressing need is to improve our data analysis in order to laser focus our efforts to measure growth, particularly in our core class areas — math, reading and writing for our students."

Candidate Laurel Schrementi, a former elementary school teacher, said she has heard many positive assessments from parents about the district's special education program. She said one of the biggest needs is to reduce the caseloads of special education teachers, which would improve children's outcomes.

Both she and candidate Gordon Snyder, a construction operations manager, praised the district's decision to purchase The Abbey from the Elmhurst Park District. Officials said the building would be a larger place for York High School's transition center, which aims to help those with disabilities from 18 to 22 to develop independence.

Snyder said special education students were likely the group in schools most affected by remote learning during the pandemic.

Candidate Athena Arvanitis, a school administrator in another district, said the local special education program's resources are its biggest strength, along with the teachers and instructional aides.

"It's important for the administration to have a process in place for equitable access and opportunities for students," she said.

According to the Illinois Report Card, about 1,300 of District 205's more than 8,000 students have special needs plans, known in school jargon as individualized education programs.

The six candidates for school board are running in the April 6 election.