(Photo courtesy of the High Desert Education Service District)
Superintendent John Rexford joins education partners to address funding shortage.
The United States is experiencing a significant increase in the number of children being identified with special education needs. In Central Oregon, the early childhood special education student population has increased by 10 percent in the past year alone. This shift is largely driven by an increase in developmental screenings designed to make early intervention services available to families.
While outcomes for children receiving these services are striking, funding in Oregon has remained largely unchanged since 2007. At the same time, the cost of providing early intervention special education programs has risen significantly over the years. This shortage of funding is particularly puzzling when you look at the big picture. In Central Oregon, nearly 20% of students who receive early intervention services no longer need special education services by age three. The long-term impact on both student success and the cost of education is impossible to ignore.
According to Diane Tipton, director of Early Intervention & Early Childhood Special Education services for HDESD, 95% of a cohort of speech articulation students recently met or exceeded state reading standards by the third grade.
“This is a perfect example of how early intervention can change education,” said Tipton.
John Rexford, superintendent for The High Desert Education Service District is leading an effort to change that with a comprehensive plan to request an increase of up to $25 million in funding for Early Intervention and Early Childhood Special Education in Oregon. The HDESD provides EI/ECSE services to all eligible children in Central Oregon as well as four rural counties in other parts of the state. Recently, Rexford joined forces with former Deputy Superintendent of Public Education Rob Saxton and other education partners, including the Oregon Association of Education Service Districts, the Oregon School Board Association, and the Confederation of Oregon School Administrators on this effort.
“There is absolutely no question that these programs have a profound impact on the lives and futures of our children, but they have been underfunded for years,” said Rexford. “It’s time for all of us to step forward and advocate for this critical work, so we can give our educators the resources they need to help our children succeed.”
According to Tipton, Central Oregon physician referrals for services have more than doubled in the last six months alone.
“We couldn’t be more pleased with the increased focus on early childhood development and the fact that we’re able to reach more children and families each year, but we need the resources to continue serving them,” said Tipton who added that there are no wait lists allowed in these programs, causing services to decrease as caseloads increase.
The High Desert Education Service District provides early childhood developmental support for children birth to 5 years of age (prior to kindergarten). Services include screening, evaluation, and specially designed instruction for young children with special needs in Crook, Deschutes, and Jefferson Counties.
For more information, call 541.693.5600 or visit hdesd.org
About The High Desert Education Service District
The High Desert Education Service District (HDESD) is a regional support system that links school districts in Central Oregon to state and national education resources. Our programs help districts minimize duplication of services, preserve their local budgets and receive special programs that might otherwise be unavailable to them.
