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Federal stimulus boosts special education
(by Sue Hoffman - October 01, 2009)
Federal stimulus boosts special education
By SUE HOFFMAN
The Solon School District is receiving federal stimulus funds for special education totaling $1.08 million over two years, school officials said.
Funds are being received through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, district Treasurer Timothy Pickana said. Funds are beginning to come in to reimburse the district for money that has been spent, he said.
"The funds have really given us an opportunity to upgrade our services," said Dale Jakab, coordinator of pupil services. "We were able to do some things all at once. It's been a big help."
The goal of handicapped accessibility at Arthur Road and Roxbury elementary schools is being achieved with the funding, Mr. Jakab said. A new elevator will be installed in Arthur Road School's west wing, which is the only area of the school that is not handicapped accessible. The project is estimated to cost $90,000. The district has installed a lift from the floor to the stage in the Roxbury School cafeteria at a cost of $10,000.
"We were talking about doing the elevator and lift for years," Mr. Jakab said. The two facilities projects have been approved by the Ohio Department of Education.
Using some of the funds for staffing, the district has added this fall a second full-day preschool class to accommodate the large number of students with autism, Mr. Jakab said. The district hired a teacher and two paraprofessionals for the class of eight students at a cost of $75,000. The other class for students with autism was started about five years ago.
At the high school, staffing in the multi-handicapped unit increased from 1.6 positions to two full-time teachers at a cost of $30,000, Mr. Jakab said. In addition, another 0.2 position increase, costing $12,000, was added for occupational therapists district-wide.
Among other expenditures, $60,000 will be spent on a van that can transport several wheelchairs and students, Mr. Jakab said.
"We have bought augmentative devices for nonverbal students. This didn't have to come out of the district budget," Mr. Jakab said. The district spent some $70,000 on the devices, which allow the students to point to icons on a touch screen to communicate. In addition, the district upgraded Boardmaker software for $9,600, which adapts symbol-based printed activities for students with special needs.
Roxbury School received auditory systems to enhance sound quality in five additional classrooms at a cost of $4,500, he said. The systems have been shown to help students hear their teachers better without distracting sounds.
In addition to the new purchases, the district is able to use $250,000 of the stimulus funds to help with special education expenses, Mr. Jakab said. "We were able to supplant the district's expenditure."
Of the total amount, St. Rita School in Solon is receiving $15,000, Mr. Jakab said.
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