The state of New York is building additional residential schools for children with disabilities as a cost-saving measure. The state currently pays more than $200 million a year to educate special needs children in private schools in other states.

Within the next three years, New York will have more than 500 new schools, half of them in Long Island and New York City, officials said.

About 12 percent of the state's school-age population, or 410,000 students, have special needs.

Labels: disabilities, schools

Lynda Kovalcheck's son has autism. Because of his disability, even a simple trip to the grocery store can become a major event if something causes a meltdown. The disapproving and judging stares from others are enough to cause Kovalcheck to want to stay at home.

"But Kovalcheck doesn't think her son should have to stay at home just because he's misunderstood. So she came up with a solution: She's made it her mission to make sure more people understand families with disabilities."

She's putting her mission into practice by helping organize a Disability Awareness Night at the Merced Civic Center in Merced, California. The six moms who organized the event have kids with various disabilities, from autism to ADHD. They will share their stories in hopes of raising both awareness and empathy. Source: Merced Sun-Star

Labels: autism, awareness, disabilities