Bingham News Chronicle

One out of every eight students in Idaho receives special education services. That means somewhere between 1 in 4 families likely has a child with special needs. I am one of them. We have four children, and one of them receives extra support at school because of his special needs. I am deeply grateful for our local schools and the teachers, aides and staff who work hard every day to care for every child. It is not perfect, and that is not their fault. They simply do not have the resources to do everything the law requires and everything they want to do as teachers. The best outcomes happen when families, schools and communities work together. Parents know their children better than anyone else. They know what motivates them, what frustrates them and what routines help them succeed. Time at home can be just as important as time in the classroom. That is why we should support parents. We should give families more tools, more flexibility, more training and more opportunities to help their children succeed. We should encourage partnerships with therapists, nonprofits, churches, mentors and private providers when those resources are available.