ANW Education Cooperative is trying its best to save money in multiple areas. ANW Co-op director Bob Coleman told USD 257 Board of Education members Monday evening that money is very tight for special education. KATHY Robertson with ANW and Dawn Wilson with the ANW Parent Advisory Committee also spoke to USD 257 board members about a project they’ve recently finished. Wilson has a son with a disability and his participation in the co-op sparked her interest in helping with ANW. She wanted to create a handbook for parents to refer to if a question about services arises.
ANW is a special education cooperative serving Anderson, Allen, Neosho, Woodson and Wilson counties.
Recently, the co-op was informed it is not required to offer health insurance through the Affordable Care Act to certain employees. Paraprofessionals who work fewer than 1,300 hours in a school year do not qualify for the insurance. A majority of the cooperative’s estimated 225 paras work fewer than 1,300 hours, Coleman said.
Currently the co-op is paying rent and utilities for the ANW pre-school in Iola, though its contract states that should be the responsibility of the school district.
Another savings option is busing. The board must weigh the pros and cons of using district buses for co-op students rather than ANW providing its own transportation.
This past year only four out of 18 positions were filled by teachers with special education training. In the other cases, the teachers were required to return to school to get their special ed credentials. That illustrates two things: First, school districts are cutting slots for regular teachers; and, fewer teachers are going into special education.
Pittsburg State University’s education program has seen a 20 percent decrease in applications, said Jack Koehn, USD 257 superintendent of schools.
Coleman worries about being able to replace many of the teachers who are near retirement age. Recruitment for the co-op is difficult.
“Our salaries are below district salaries,” Coleman said. “The most we’ve had is a 5 percent raise,” over seven years.
Coleman said many are unaware the co-op is a part of multiple school districts.
“We’re not a separate district,” he said. “We’re you.”
Though the state has not cut funding to special education, its budget has remained flat despite rising costs.
“Every service we offer is mandated and we gotta start showing people how important education is,” he said.
“I want all parents who enter the co-op to have this in their hand,” Wilson said. “I want to make sure there is a good relationship with the parents and teachers.”
The handbook has a personal directory and is a one-stop shop for families. It has phone numbers, regulations and an index of special education acronyms.
Robertson said she would like to see more parents involved in the co-op and help voice their concerns to their legislators.
Pinching pennies at ANW
