By KRWG News
Las Cruces – Effective January 4, 2012, children who receive speech-only services (i.e., articulation, fluency and voice) will no longer be eligible for DD pre-school services. This will impact an estimated 82 three- and four-year-old children, said Rodriguez. No other special education students will be impacted by the change.
Last July, LCPS received a letter from the New Mexico Public Education Department (NMPED) mandating a change in how children receive services through the school district's Developmentally Delayed Early Childhood Pre-School Program (DD pre-school), said LCPS Special Education Department Director Glenda Rodriguez.
LCPS is continuing to provide classroom-based services to these students until the end of the current semester (December 16, 2011). However, in January 2012, they will begin receiving only "drop in" service either at their schools or at day care or early childhood facility.
The parents of the affected children were notified of the change in a November 3, 2011 letter from Superintendent Stan Rounds.
"These are important early-intervention services that help bring young children up to the level of their grade-age peers and often mean they won't need special education services when they reach kindergarten and first grade," said Rounds. "We were hoping to continue funding these services on our own at least through the end of the 2011-12 school year. However, without funding from the state, this is money we simply do not have in our budget," he said.
"This is a painful cut in services to the affected children and their families," said Rodriguez. "However, we will continue to provide the very best services we can to these children and all special education students," she said.
LCPS will work with parents to ensure their children have transportation to the services they receive, said Rodriguez.
For more information, contact Rodriguez at 575.527.5901 or grodrigu@lcps.k12.nm.us.