GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — A special education program under fire in Grand Rapids earlier this year may soon be under new management.
Grand Rapids Public Schools Superintendent Teresa Weatherall Neal is recommending the district board transfer its center-based special education programs to Kent Intermediate School District on July 1, 2019.
“I firmly believe that this is in the best interest of our center-based students as it will ensure greater access, inclusion, and a more direct, vested interest from all twenty districts in center-based special education programming,” the superintendent stated in a Tuesday letter to students, parents and staff.
Neal said GRPS is unique in that it holds a contract to run all center-based special education programs for Kent ISD and the 19 other districts it serves. Weatherall Neal said ISDs or regional education service agencies run special education programs for the majority of other Michigan public schools.