Disability advocates are concerned about not having sum sufficient funding for special education funding.
Many self-advocates are employed by The Arc Wisconsin or chapters of The Arc Wisconsin and are successful today because of their experiences in Special education.
Sydney Badeau, The Arc Wisconsin’s Advocacy and Outreach Specialist, says, “I was in special education from kindergarten through my senior year, and the support I got helped me succeed in regular classrooms with the right modifications. Funding programs like this make sure every student gets a fair chance to learn. When we lose funding for special education, we risk taking that opportunity away from students like me. I work full-time today, because I received the special education services and support, I needed to succeed in school.”
Chad Sobieck, Intern for The Arc Wisconsin says, “Throughout my time in special education, dedicated paraprofessionals assisted during every class, writing notes I couldn’t put down myself. Handwriting stayed out of reach, so they’d capture the lectures word for word, letting me soak it all in. Tech stepped up too, with speech-to-text software on my laptop and tools that let me put my thoughts from brain to screen. Testing Voice apps handled it smoothly. Being slower to grasp didn’t hold me back; it built grit and patience. Those supports didn’t just help me learn; they shaped how I thrive now.
Connie Gens, Advocacy trainer for The Arc Fond du Lac says, “ By the time he was in 4K Ethan’s teacher suggested that he have an evaluation, but this first evaluation would not qualify him for extra help. It was not until the second evaluation in kindergarten that Ethan qualified for special education services. Throughout the middle school years Ethan started using more assistive technology like text to speech. He also started to tell teachers he needed more time for tests, breaks from work and built in study time. Those needs carried into high school. Ethan receives limited assistance primarily with
additional time with testing and freedom to leave for a sensory break if needed. Ethan also started his journey with DVR this senior year. Things are moving slower, but he has tried a couple of jobs and is looking to go on to secondary school in the fall. Ethan would not be the successful student he is today if he did not have the support from many special education teachers, aids and therapists along the way. It is a critical service for so many students like Ethan.
