Thank you for calling out the Special Ed Budget. Something is seriously wrong and it will only get worse. It is simply not working. Currently approximately 40 Rye families (a growing percentage of special education student population) have had to send their children to out of district schools for their education. Many if not most of these children have an IEP (an Individualized Education Plan)! This means that the RCSD has recognized that these children require remediation. These families have had to send their children to either Windward or Eagle Hill for remediation and education after they realize that RCSD's services have been ineffective. Windward and Eagle Hill are special education schools that provide what Rye should be providing given its budget. These schools are extremely costly and paid for solely by the family. Should a family seek tuition assistance from Rye, they are met with both indifference and/or the might of RCSD attorneys who seek to tear families apart financially and emotionally through the farse called "Due Process." Why? Why can't there be a tuition assistance program when Rye cannot provide adequate services or when the services simply are not effective? That would be cheaper than having the taxpayers of Rye pay legal fees that have nothing to do with educating children. Recently, however, families are starting to win cases and it will be all of Rye's problem when more of those cases start piling up. I sincerely hope that the BOE reconsiders it heavy handed litigation strategy with respect to parentally placed out of district children. The families are doing what is necessary (we are not talking about tony private school here) for their children and making serious financial adjustments to do so. Too bad that RCSD is only interested hiding their inability to remediate or educate special education students. I would like to be part of the solution and sincerely hope that Dr. Alverez or the BOE reaches out to these parents (I am one of them) to come to a mutually agreeable answer. Its long past time. Thank you.