ISU, District 25 Team Up For Special Ed
Idaho State University is working together with the Pocatello-Chubbuck School District to change how special education is being taught.
After graduation, most students are done with high school and many of them move on to college, but not for special education students.
“School districts are mandated to educate special needs students from age 3 to 21,? District 25’s special education post-secondary transition teacher Martha Fae Frymire said.
Before, these students had to spend the three years after graduation still in a high school, but now they’ll be heading to ISU to take courses on the post high-school transition.
“That allows us to be more. For our students to learn how to integrate into the community, without being on bells, no announcement on the intercom, more like real life, Frymire said.
The district doesn’t have much in the way of extra money, and there wasn’t any set aside to rent a new space for special ed outside of the schools.
“Because the district has no money, the university has been very generous to donate the space. It is cost free, so we’re just so grateful to them to cover that for us,? Frymire said.
The university administration said it is happy to help out.
“We feel very strongly that supporting the community in this way is important, but we feel that we are partners with K-12 educators and this is one way we can show this collaborative support,? ISU Associate Vice President of Academic Affairs Laura Woodworth-Ney said.
Instructors said being stuck in the high school after graduation made these adults feel like they’re still kids.
“The biggest benefit is that the students will no longer see themselves as kids, as students. They will see themselves as independent young adults who are now able to have a voice in their own choices,? Frymire said.
ISI is working now to renovate the classroom for the special education program to move into soon.
The district’s special ed program had been searching for four years to find a location for this post graduation program.
