EdSource

When Tania Rivera’s son with autism ran out of school and into the street, no one noticed he was gone. Not the teacher or any school official. Rivera said she found out from another parent who saw him. “It wasn’t safe for him, and I was in shock. Believe me, because he was in danger,” Rivera said. She didn’t know whether her son had hopped in a stranger’s car or gotten lost. Although that incident happened more than a decade ago, Rivera’s experience reflects broader concerns across Los Angeles County, where a new parent-led survey finds that many families say their children with disabilities feel unsafe and unsupported at school. The survey, published by SpEducational, a parent-led advocacy organization focused on special education, includes responses from 342 families across nearly 40 school districts in Los Angeles County, including more than 150 with children in the Los Angeles Unified School District. Fewer than half the families — 45% — said their child in special education often or always feels safe at school. Another 41% said they are dissatisfied with the services their child receives.  “I am sorry to say that the data is sobering. It’s lifted up a lot of concerns. It’s documented a lot of issues, a lot of structural issues in special education,” said Lisa Mosko Barros, the founder of SpEducational.