District 112 Votes to Leave NSSED

Despite concern from affected parents, North Shore School District 112’s Board of Education voted unanimously to begin the process of withdrawing as a member of the North Shore Special Education District (NSSED) today at its regularly scheduled meeting.

Before the Board began its discussion, a parent and grandparent of students at North Shore Academy told the Board the move could impact the special needs students who are educated outside District 112 schools. North Shore Academy is operated by NSSED for students whose needs are not met by 112 and other districts.

“If every community comes to the same conclusion we won’t have (NSSED),” Steve Hirsch, who has a grandchild at North Shore Academy, said. “It’s a zero-sum game and all I see is a large potential loss for a very small gain,” he added referring to a projected savings of $387,000.

Board members Karla Livney, Howard Metz and Yumi Ross along with Board President Bruce Hyman made it clear the change was not being made for economic reasons but because of the increased ability of the District to educate special needs students.

“When (internal programs) took effect we were able to keep the kids (with special needs) stay in their schools within the District,” Hyman said. “You should have seen the looks on their faces when they were recognized by their friends.”

Of approximately 4,400 students within the District, 700 receive some sort of special education services, according to Assistant Superintendent for Student Services Matt Barbini. Of those, 12 attend North Shore Academy and a handful of others are in therapeutic day schools or residential placement.

Hirsch and Yugi Fukunaga, the parent of a North Shore Academy student, expressed concerns the NSSED would refuse to take District 112 students if it withdrew. Barbini believes there is little chance that will happen.

“They (NSSED) need us like we need them and our mission is the same,” Barbini said. “There isn’t any chance a student who needs North Shore Academy will not have a seat at their table.”

The District currently pays annual tuition to the special needs school in the amount of $47,000 which will rise to $56,000 when 112 is no longer a member, according to Barbini. He believes the additional revenue will also motivate NSSED.

After the vote, neither Hirsch nor Fukunaga changed their opinion. Fukunaga, who has been happy with the education his child has received at North Shore Academy, is disillusioned parents have not been brought into the loop.

“If this has been under discussion for two years, why did I just find out about it two weeks ago?” Fukunaga said. “If we drop out who’s to say they (NSSED) would not say no to set an example,” he added expressing fear the needs of some of the District’s special students would not be properly met.

The District will now issue a letter of intent to NSSED it intends to withdraw which starts an 18-month separation process, according to District Communications Director Andi Rosen. The change would start with the 2015-16 school year.

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