Disabled Students Not the Only Ones Affected by Cuts

I must respond to Roslyn Howard’s letter (“Taking Back Control of Our Schools,” June 28) more for what she did not state than for what she wrote.

The Orange County Department of Education teaches virtually all of the severely disabled students in the county, and we rely primarily on state funding. Costs continue to escalate with no increase in income.

In the past two years, the department’s budget has absorbed a $5-million deficit, much of that for the education of these severely disabled students. Excess program costs for the coming year are estimated at $1,800 per student, and we cannot absorb yet another $1 million-plus. Neither can the 27 school districts whose children we serve. When we became painfully aware of the increased costs, I met with our teachers, staff and administrators, beginning last October, seeking their suggestions on cutting costs.

One of the major recommendations was to cut the extended-year program (44-day summer school) from six to four hours each day for the summer only, and we ultimately made that change. Ours was virtually the sole 44-day, six-hour summer program in the entire state.

Without question, severely disabled students have needs well beyond those of the nearly 400,000 general education students in Orange County. But that special education program cannot be immune to the horrendous budget cuts in all of education. To balance our budget, I signed more than 100 layoff and contract-reduction notices and chopped more than $4 million from the 1992-93 budget.

We have reduced all but the most vital direct services to all of our students in the 23 special schools and 14 juvenile court and community day schools. If the state finally adopts a budget that includes $2.3 billion less for schools, further cuts must be made. I will attempt to protect the special education program from an additional impact.

Within the past week, we have negotiated a five-hour-day program for the summer, preventing the probability of a court order, a prolonged court battle and the inherent legal costs, ultimately destroying the budgetary savings and further disrupting the lives of these severely disabled students.

Ms. Howard is committed to the education of special students, as am I. But I have an additional commitment to the citizens of Orange County.

When I was elected in November, 1990, I promised to be a responsible steward of the public funds. I cannot act irresponsibly, no matter how noble the cause.

JOHN F. DEAN, Orange County, Superintendent of Schools