LANSING — Of the hundreds of public school districts in Michigan, the Lansing School District was the last to operate its own special education school. That will change this summer as the Beekman Center becomes part of his Ingham County ISD.
Ingham Intermediate School District already operates several other special education programs, including Heartwood School and North Star School, which serve students from 12 school districts.
The Beekman Center serves students with “moderate cognitive impairment, severe cognitive impairment, severe multiple disabilities, autism spectrum disorders, and emotional disorders,” according to the district's website. The center also has a program that provides life skills and transition activities for people ages 18 to 26 with moderate cognitive impairment.
Ingham ISD Superintendent Jason Melema said the ISD is an “educational service agency” that connects the Michigan Department of Education and local school districts. There are typically special education programs, career and technical education programs, and some general education.
Melema said the move, the last in Michigan, will allow for the consolidation of resources and support for staff and teachers working with students.
Lansing School District Superintendent Ben Schuldiner said the Beekman Center, built in the 1960s, was the first facility to educate children and youth with special needs, but the district is no longer providing the best education for them. He said that he was no longer a source of support for the government.
“We have to be honest with ourselves when we put our students first,” Schuldiner said Tuesday. “Is the way we are currently supporting children the right way? And the answer is a resounding no.
“The right way to do this is to make sure that ISDs that were absolutely established to support special education kids can continue to do that,” Schuldiner said.
By sending all students who need special education programs to one or two schools built specifically for them, we give local school districts the staff they need to serve students with a variety of needs. It reduces the pressure to deploy, Melema said.
The official transition will take place July 1, according to a press release from the district. All Lansing School District employees involved in the transition have either been offered positions with the ISD or will remain employed by the district.
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