LANSING (WKZO-AM) — In testimony before the Michigan State Board of Education, Lt. Gov. Brian Calley presented findings from a special education listening tour that showed Michigan’s current special education system often fails students, leaving them unprepared for transition into adult life after the age of 26.
Calley said Tuesday it’s because the system fails to recognize what they can do.
“There are so many examples of people that have broken through the stereotype about what their disability means, and are proving every day that they deserve the same shot that everybody else gets,” Calley said.
The Republican from Portland, who has an autistic daughter, said improvement is needed in services, practices, support, rulemaking and dispute resolution processes.
He says his next stop is the state legislature to see if they can’t address some of the problems with legislation.
– John McNeill