ERIC Number: ED473534
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 2002-Mar
Pages: 56
Abstractor: N/A
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
Special Education Services in Colorado Charter Schools: Surveying Perceptions of Charter School Administrators and Special Education Directors.
Scheffel, Debora L.
This report discusses the outcomes of a study that surveyed charter school principals and special education directors in Colorado to determine their attitudes about charter school services for students with special needs, to determine how charter schools fund special education services, and to create a data-based foundation for making recommendations. Study results suggest that the number of students and the proportion of students with an Individualized Education Program have increased for charter schools over the past four years, causing an increasing strain on both the charter schools and the support provided by the districts. Charter school administrators indicated that their plans to offer additional services to students with disabilities are limited, likely due to limited resources. Most charter schools did not have a specific plan in place when they were chartered to comply with laws related to educating students with disabilities. The majority of principals felt a lack of control or minimal control as related to hiring special services providers in their schools and are generally dissatisfied with the financial arrangements that they have with their school districts. In contrast, most directors were satisfied with the financial arrangements they have with their charter schools. Recommendations are provided. Appended are: Letter Requesting Survey Participation; Charter Administrator Survey; Special Education Director Survey; Letter Requesting Focus Group Participation; and Focus Group Participation-Discussion Outline. (Contains 12 references, 3 tables, and 20 figures.) (CR)
Descriptors: Administrator Attitudes, Charter Schools, Compliance (Legal), Disabilities, Educational Finance, Elementary Secondary Education, Legal Responsibility, Principals, School District Spending, School Districts, School Responsibility, Special Education, Surveys
Colorado State Department of Education, 201 E.Colfax Ave., Denver, CO 80203. Tel: 303-866-6600; Fax: 303-830-0793; Web site: http://www.cde.state.co.us. For full text: http://cde.state.co.us/cdechart.
Publication Type: Reports - Research; Tests/Questionnaires
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: Colorado State Dept. of Education, Denver.
Identifiers - Location: Colorado
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A