Ridgewood parents denounce special education outsourcing
Saturday, May 18, 2013
BY CHRIS HARRIS
STAFF WRITER
The Record
RIDGEWOOD — A change in how the school district manages and administers its home programs for special needs students — a cost-cutting measure — has several parents in the village outraged.
Emotion was on display during an informational meeting Thursday night at the Education Center on Cottage Place, where parents chided the school board’s decision to outsource its home programs to Glen Rock-based Volt Wellness.
Parents challenged the district about the impact such a shift in their child’s routine would render, and at least one parent threatened legal action against the school board if the transition goes forward, as planned, on July 1.
Kerry Huntington, the retiring supervisor of special programs, told the parents that contracting with Volt was a cost-cutting move, but admitted the savings would not be “tremendous.”
https://www.northjersey.com/news/207978151_Ridgewood_parents_denounce_special_education_outsourcing_denounce_special_ed_outsource.html
Nothing wrong with trying to save some taxpayer monies. Let the parent sue on what ever phony grounds they can find.
Right on # 1
You are missing the point, this was not sent out for multiple bids but given to one vendor without any competition, shoved down the parents throats and seemingly without regard to quality of services or pricing. Where was the vetting process, what references were checked, why wasn’t there a conversation before hand with the interested parties, why wasn’t a true RFP process followed?
Doesn’t matter if you are a special needs parent or a taxpayer without kids in the system.
This just wasn’t done properly.
It seems like Ridgewood doesn’t care about their special needs students. Isn’t it great that Volt is willing to hire the professionals back at half the pay. Maybe the board of ed shouldn’t have donated funds to the library. The law says that they must educate the children. They deserve the lawsuit.
Is there a difference between Volt Wellness and Volt Fitness? At the same address they do personal training and teach special needs students. Weight loss and behavioral therapy in one stop! A truely magical place! Only in New Jersey.
I wonder if they do auto body work too?