District needs special education advocate says concerned parent

June 14--OSKALOOSA -- A concerned mother expressed her frustrations with lack of special education advocacy in the school district.

Julie Knox told the Oskaloosa Community School District Board of Directors on Tuesday, June 12 that she had to pull her youngest son from school in his eighth-grade year at Oskaloosa Middle School because he became too physically aggressive.

"Nothing was done," she said.

Knox said different scenarios were attempted and nothing worked.

"We eventually came to the conclusion he was just too aggressive and before Thanksgiving, 2014, he was not to come back to school. I sat home with him for over three months and nothing was done," she said. "He did not receive one minute of education in those three months, not one."

Knox said she finally called Disability Rights Iowa and her son finished out his eighth-grade year in a classroom at the William Penn PAC with a teacher, an associate and three AEA personnel and has done well in high school.

"I have heard some expressed concerns as to why parents are pulling their kids from our district and I say why wouldn't they," she said. "From our experience at the middle school, it's no wonder they leave. We essentially felt as though they had no problem with us not being there, or they knew that in three years we would no longer be their concern."

Knox suggested to the board that having a special education advocate through the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act a majority of the problems her family -- and other families -- had would not happen.

"This person would be acting on behalf of the school and to keep these families in our school district," she said.

The advocate would be there to follow through with programs and students who need assistance.

"You had an amazing person in Rozie Warder help with behaviors last year and she would be a tremendous asset to our school district in the role of advocate for our special needs students as well," she said. "There are positive changes happening in our community and school district and it would benefit us all if this was to continue."

Later in the meeting the board discussed renewing a contract for continuation of behavior and special education services with Take Action Consulting.

OCSD Board President Shelly Herr mentioned several letters have been submitted on the subject, as well as the perspective of Knox at the start of the meeting.

Board Member Sharma Parlett said she felt some work needed to be done on the contract, and incoming Superintendent Paula Wright should be part of those discussions.

"We have responsibilities that need to be met," she said.

There have been some wonderful first steps, Parlett said, including connections with community agencies and community members.

"I think that this school cannot be a silo in this community," she said. "We have to work together and that means putting somebody at the table to help integrate kids back into school, and to maybe think out of our box. Maybe try some things that we are not comfortable with to start with."

It is also important, Parlett said, to continue working with trauma-based instruction therapy.

"It needs to be done in all of our buildings. Our kids have a lot of stuff that they carry with them," she said. 'Talking with an administrator that he said the good thing that has been happening this year is that we have made those connections for our agencies and we have gone from being punitive with our students to being helpful with our students."

If there is a contract, Parlet said, it needs to be reworked.

"And really needs to be specified with roles, who's going to do what, who is responsible and set those parameters and maybe that's something that [incoming superintendent] Mrs. Wright needs to look at," she said. "But if we don't then I think the management team really needs to come back to the school board with who's going to be responsible for these kinds fo things to make certain these first steps continue."

The district needs to do what's right for kids, Herr said.

"I do get the money part," she said, "but this is also about what do we do for all students."

The discussion was tabled until a future meeting, when Wright will able to join in the discussion.

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