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Parent urges district to restore in-person speech therapy for private-school students
Summary
A Oshkosh parent said the district notified private schools that speech therapy would shift to virtual-only while public-school students keep in-person services; he called the change inequitable and asked the district to reconsider.
A parent urged the Oshkosh Area School District to continue in-person speech and language therapy for private-school students, describing a recent district decision to move private-school sessions to virtual-only while public-school students continue to receive in-person services.
“My daughter’s speech therapy was all planned and laid out prior to the start of the school year. Now 3 weeks in, we receive an email stating that the district will be going to virtual speech therapy sessions for private school students within the Oshkosh Area School District,” said Brandon Cooper, who identified himself as a resident of Oshkosh during the board's non-agenda public forum. He said the district cited “vague staffing challenges” and said the change will limit a young child's ability to benefit from therapy.
Cooper added that the move raises equity concerns: “I am a taxpayer in this district. I help fund the various services that are being denied to my child simply because we've chosen a private Christian education. That should not disqualify my child or any child from receiving the same level of support afforded to their public school peers.”
The board did not take action during the meeting; a board member subsequently asked staff to provide written information about legal and operational expectations for providing special-education services to private-school students so the board and public can better understand the district's obligations and options.
Ending: District staff agreed to follow up with information for the board about provision of services to private-school students and any legal or procedural constraints noted by staff.
