Council Rock Parents Petition Against Special Needs Program Move

NEWTOWN, PA — Council Rock School District parents have launched a petition to prevent the relocation of a special needs program.

Nearly 600 people have signed the petition looking to stop the relocation of the Life Skills program to Richboro Elementary. The program currently operates at Hillcrest Elementary and Newtown Elementary.

"As Hillcrest Elementary parents, we are requesting that the decision to relocate the Life Skills program next year be reconsidered. The children, teachers and aides in this program are an integral part of the Hillcrest community. These children have a profound positive impact on the rest of the children in our school," the petition states.

"The Hillcrest community has embraced these children. For children with special needs, consistency is key to their stability, development and education. Taking these children out of the only school and away from the friends they know, and who love them, risks regression."

As of Tuesday at 4 p.m., 584 people have signed the petition.

The move, which will impact 17 students, is necessary so the students can be separated by age, which is required for compliance with Pennsylvania Department of Education special education rules, district officials have said.

"There is time to reevaluate those plans to include sufficient space for Life Skills to remain in the Hillcrest community. We implore the school board and administration of Council Rock to reconsider this decision," the petition said.

See the full petition here.