As a volunteer youth counselor in a special needs youth program, I write to encourage the balance between life skills training and social integration.
The placement of special needs programs in public schools is key to their social and academic growth. If the program becomes disconnected and segregated from the rest of public schooling, these people will receive more educational help and assistance, but not the same social experiences as in public school.
However, by integrating them directly into public schooling, we would be hindering their academic growth while supplying social connections. The best way to go about this integration is to spend money on a program that puts these kids in public schools, but also gives them educational growth in a personalized setting.
Paul Christensen
Orem