Nathan Cooper, others defend state schools for the severely disabled

State lawmakers and Gov. Matt Blunt aren't looking to close down Missouri's state-run schools for children with severe disabilities, state Rep. Nathan Cooper said Wednesday.

"I think everyone is on the same page in that our state schools do a tremendous job and a tremendous service," the Cape Girardeau Republican said. "We are not looking to change how the service is delivered."

Cooper's comments came on the heels of a report to the governor that indicates it is more costly to teach severely disabled students through separate state schools than in local school districts.

But the report, which makes no recommendations, also said that surveys of parents of severely disabled students showed they were generally satisfied with the services provided by the state schools.

Cooper's district includes Parkview State School in Cape Girardeau.

Supporters of the state schools argue that it would be more costly to serve such students in local school districts.

It wouldn't be cost-effective for school districts to provide services for such students, Cooper said. That would be particularly true for small school districts, he said.

"If you only have one severely handicapped child the cost to that school would immense," he said.

Cooper said he would oppose closing the state schools. The only exception, he said, would be if a state school served only a few students.

Parkview State School serves about 35 students. Cooper said such enrollment is enough to warrant keeping the school.

Charlie Taylor, superintendent of the state schools, said he isn't aware of any effort to close the schools.

"I don't know where the thought is coming from," he said.

But he acknowledged that some parents of disabled children worry that might happen.

Missouri has 36 state-run schools that serve more than 1,000 severely disabled students.

"Our entire organization's focus is on educating kids with disabilities," Taylor said. In contrast, he said, local school districts aren't focused solely on serving the needs of such children.

Craig Henning, executive director of the Disability Resource Association in Crystal City, Mo., said his group is ready to fill the state capitol with parents and advocates if needed to keep the state schools running.

Local school districts would find it expensive to educate the severely disabled, he said. "The cost to the districts would be astronomical," Henning said.

Brian Hauswirth, a spokesman for Blunt, said he's not aware of any plans to change the state schools, much less close them.

"Right now I don't see any massive rush to do anything on this," he said.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.

mbliss@semissourian.com

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