Report: Concord Integrated Preschool Parent Concerned with Lack of Space

CONCORD, MA—A Concord parent has asked the Concord School Committee to take a deeper look into the future of the Concord Integrated Preschool (CIPS).

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Concord parent Casey Atkins asked the Concord School Committee to form a “discussion forum” to discuss the future plan for CIPS at a Feb. 9 School Committee Meeting, according to a report by Wicked Local Concord. The report also indicates that Superintendent Diana Rigby believes overcrowding is the source of the issue.

Reports Henry Schwan, who broke the story on Wicked Local Concord’s website:

Concord Integrated Preschool mixes special needs students with students who don’t have special needs -- whom the administration calls “community peers” -- and Rigby said the school is running out of room because of an increasing number of special needs students.

Atkins has a 3-year-old son with special needs who attends CIPS. He receives an Individualized Education Program (IEP) and she said recent letters from the school administration indicated that the school might have to eliminate the community peer slots in 2017 in order have enough space for special needs students.

Atkins said she is concerned, because her son benefits from having classes with community peers because they provide enhanced learning with an atmosphere of tolerance and mutual respect.

“Children this age are so young, they don’t notice differences,” Atkins said in a hallway outside the school committee meeting. “Not only are they great role models, they are the kids going forward who prevent bullying for someone who is different because they are used to growing up with kids with diverse needs.”

Rigby said a primary reason for the overcrowding is state and federal law that requires that school districts provide special education services to students 3 to 22 years old. According to Rigby, when children in Concord with special needs turn 3, the preschool must enroll them if the parents choose CIPS, creating a rolling enrollment situation throughout the year that the administration can’t plan for.

Another contributor, according to Rigby, is the growing supply of housing in Concord, which is bringing in more families and increasing the number of special needs students.

You can also view Schwan’s full report here.