Gutiérrez asks Betty Baez-Mello about bilingual special education pipeline
Gutiérrez asks why so many preschoolers with disabilities lack mandated bilingual services. Baez-Mello calls for a larger bilingual special education and evaluation pipeline, citing a family waiting since April for a Bengali evaluation.
I did have a question for you, Betty, and thank you for your testimony.
It's disheartening to hear that there's still such a large population of families with preschoolers, with disabilities that are just not receiving the services.
And I know that they exist.
So I'm having a hard time reconciling, like, why the number is so large.
What do you think, what do you think, what do we need to do?
What needs to happen?
What does outreach and communication need to look like for that to happen?
Yeah, I think the main recommendation we're making today specific to
children who need bilingual special education supports and services is really growing that pipeline and identifying the providers.
As we've heard, it is really challenging for families to get bilingual supports like speech therapy in Spanish or for children who have more complex needs to get a special education classroom where they're learning in Spanish or their target language.
And so really think that we need to increase efforts.
Across the board to get special education teachers and service providers, but especially ones that are able to provide bilingual support, and including for evaluations.
Unfortunately, we hear from families who wait weeks and months to secure an evaluation.
We recently heard from a family who's been waiting since April because their child needs to be evaluated.
This is a special education evaluation?
Yes.
Okay.
In another language, in Bengali.
In Bengali specifically.
Oh, boy.
Which is...
Can we follow up?
Are they still waiting?
We are in contact with the family.
Oh, no.
Okay, no.
Let me know.
But I think you are in the know.
Okay, she's in the know.
Okay, wonderful.
Well, thank you.
Thank you both so much for testifying.