It's no secret that working in special education can be challenging. All students, whether they have a disability or not, are entitled to an education under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. That being said, all special education teachers deserve to have a manageable caseload of students. It should also be noted that caseload is not the same as class size; some special education teachers oversee both their own special education class and students in traditional classroom settings that have individualized education plans. When these teachers are overwhelmed and overworked, they can't show up as their best selves, which can prevent your student from getting the education they need.

New Los Angeles Policy Concern Special Ed Caseloads

Recently, the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) and its teacher union, United Teachers Los Angeles (UTLA), came to a tentative agreement concerning the number of cases a special education teacher can have at any given time. Unfortunately, it looks like the push towards this type of agreement was necessitated out of a shortage of special education teachers. The hope is that lowering the number of students a teacher is responsible for will improve working conditions, enhance teacher retention, and allow students who need customized instruction and services to receive them more easily.

While there is no specific universal caseload number, 20 states have decided on caps for their teachers, 20 have no policies at all, and eight others have policies but no specific number. Generally, though, the states with caseload maximums have them ranging from 15 to 50 students. As of now, the LAUSD-UTLA agreement is awaiting to be approved by union members and the board of education. Once it's been ratified, the stipulations will take effect, including caps on how many autistic children a special ed teacher can have on their caseload and what reparations the district will make if the teacher's caseload surpasses that number.

How a Special Education Defense Attorney-Advisor Can Help

Teachers throughout the country work especially hard to provide safe and effective academic environments for their students. But when special education teachers are overrun with cases, it can be very difficult to provide students with the services and education they require.

Although it is exciting to see policy change happening in LA surrounding the needs of special education teachers, what about other states? As explained above, less than half the states have policies in place that protect teachers from being overtasked with cases. If you live in a state without policies, and your student is not getting the services they are entitled to, it is important to reach out to special education defense attorney-advisor Joseph D. Lento and Lento Law Firm's Education Law Team.

Clearly, there is a certain number of students that a teacher should be placed in charge of, and anything number over that limit should be cause for concern. Additionally, any boost to teacher morale and retention is only going to positively impact students with disabilities. Working with an attorney-advisor is the best way to advocate for the needs of your child. Call 888-535-3686 today or schedule a consultation online.