Special education parents mobilize

MILFORD — As the parent of an autistic 13-year-old, Mike Selvaggi has steeped himself in special education law, acronyms, official red tape and meetings, all to put in place a suitable special education program for his son.

Now, with seven years of navigating the system under his belt, Selvaggi wants to use his insight and experience to form a support group that will help other parents of special education students.

"I want to empower parents to make positive changes for the future, to participate in the special education process," he said. "I want to know what kind of problems Milford parents are having and what resources they need."

Selvaggi and Paul Albanese, also the parent of a special education student, have spent several weeks organizing. The group will meet at 7 p.m. Thursday in Room 139 at the Margaret Egan Center on Lenox Avenue.

Donald R. Civitello, the district's director of pupil personnel and special services, said there have been similar parent support groups in Milford before.

"It's what parents might feel a need for. We don't discourage them from meeting," he said.

State Department of Education figures for 2000-01 show that Milford, a district of 7,000 students, has 1,036 students, or14.2 percent, identified as in need of special education. Of these students, 387 or 37.4 percent, are identified as learning disabled.

While the district's total expenditure on special education in 1996-97 was $9.7 million for 1,164 students, the allocation is now $11.3 million a year, records show. Officials say Milford is part of a nationwide trend in which schools spend more on special education.

Selvaggi said the new support group would be a forum in which parents can brainstorm, and share ideas and information, about experiences tackling red tape surrounding special education laws and regulations.

During formal interactions with schools officials, which are called Planning Placement Team meetings and determine programs for a special education student, parents can feel they "lack support," Selvaggi said. Sometimes, parents can be at a disadvantage because they are not able to discuss in advance written reports that can determine a student's special education program or Individual Education Plan, he said.

"Parents have problems articulating about problems that exist" in special education programs, said Selvaggi.

"It's a very involved and complicated system."

Many parents feel trapped in a "pendulum" mentality of trying to understand complicated special education programs while wondering if district programs are in a child's best interest, he said.

Albanese said also he suffered from a sense of "frustration and dissatisfaction" trying to find a suitable program for his son, who has Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity. Through the group, he hopes parents who feel isolated will have an outlet to "share stories," he said.

"They are not alone. There are other people dealing with these experiences," he said.

Manuela Da Costa-Fernandes can be reached at mfernandes@nhregister.com , or 876-6800.

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