Educating all children

I am a mother, I try to read everything I can about children. I get emails almost daily with little pointers, info on development, ways to encourage learning, etc. Occasionally, there are sections that apply to me and sections that do not. I came across a section on Autism which does not apply to me and my son, however, I am compassionate to those who are impacted by it. I decided to take a look and this is what I found on my Babyzone email:

Where to Go for Services

There are both publicly-funded and private agencies that offer education and treatment services for children on the autism spectrum. In the United States, the early intervention program created by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) covers children under age three who qualify for special education services. Local school districts are required by IDEA to provide services for children in their communities starting at age three so they can receive what's called a "free appropriate public education" (FAPE).

You can start with the doctor who diagnosed your child for suggestions on where to go for the autism services you need based on the evaluations of your child. Be sure to ask the doctor for other people you can contact for more information, including other doctors, other parents, and social services agencies that specialize in helping children with autism.

Paying for Services

While government-funded services are free or low-cost fee based (specifics depend on the state where you live), they can sometimes be in short supply. Private services are costly (they can run $40,000 per year or more) and not covered by insurance in many states. States such as South Carolina and Texas passed legislation in 2007 requiring coverage for some autism therapies. Advocates at organizations like Autism Speaks are pushing to expand insurance coverage in other states.

Check with your health insurance company to see what services are covered and with your state representative to see what legislation is under consideration if your insurance does not cover autism-related services. (Read on for state-by-state insurance laws, plus more on health insurance coverage issues at Autism Bulletin.)

As you can see, it seems plain and simple; nothing new here. But from what I have heard and seen, it is not so black and white. Now, I am not trying to fault babyzone by any means. They are only trying to get the basics out there. But the problem lies with the first section...getting an education. There are so many problems with it. Children with special needs are not getting the services they need. A few bills have been introduced that would help alleviate some of the problems by allowing the parents to have a choice in their child's education. Not every school can properly educate special needs child; their needs vary and those schools cannot do it all. That is why we all need to support the Special Needs Scholarship Tax Credit Program. It will give those children a chance at an education.