Dear Editor:

Hopefully I have your attention with my title. Right now (3/26, 1 p.m.), the Education Committee is holding a hearing to fast track the elimination of the state’s CDS (Child Development Services) and place the responsibility of providing all special services through local public schools to the ages 3-5 population of special needs children.

This bill (L.D. 1870) was introduced last week by Sen. Brian Langley-R, Ellsworth and being hustled through committee today without, to my knowledge, any real hard facts/figures of how this, if successful, will impact local school budgets across our state. It’s like other legislation I have challenged over my nearly 20 years of advocating for special needs children, birth to age 5. It boils down to “the-cart-before-the-horse” mentality. Three big areas of concern: Where’s the funding coming from? State? Next is the staffing of various therapists and space within our schools to provide for additional clients starting at age 3. Some clients will need to be serviced outside the school, so we add transportation to the mix. There are still other scenarios waiting in the wings that must be addressed on an individual basis.

Please read the front page article in Monday’s Portland Press Herald, “Schools Face ...” and the well-written response by a parent in “Maine Voices.” May these articles by of interest to you, whether you are a parent of a special needs student or not, we must always remember that these uniquely neat young people did not ask to be born with special needs.

Having had a longtime relationship with CDS as a grandparent and an advisor both at the local and state level, I find that those professionals who make up and give CDS services are so dedicated, so caring. Sadly, over the years with the budget being decimated, the system has lost some outstanding providers. No wonder Education Commissioner Bob Hasson was quoted in today’s Press Herald about students not getting services. When you dry up the funding well, the providers are just not there.

Is this just another Augusta ploy to pass more education funding to local schools

Howard Wright Sr.

East Boothbay