By Tomminesha Matchingtouch

A special education advocate accused public school programs in Missouri and across the nation of having a “wait to fail” model when it comes to educating the learning disabled.

At a St. Louis Regional Education Roundtable discussion Wednesday, Patricia Hardman of Florida McKay Coalition said parent choice for special education is needed.

“If we aren’t making the change, we need to take the responsibility and make a change,” Hardman said.

She, along with two other panelists, attended a St. Louis Regional Chamber and Growth Association (RCGA) hosted discussion looking at special education options outside of the public school system. Much of the talk centered around a bill currently in the Missouri Assembly that would allow private donations to fund scholarship programs for special needs students.

School choice remains a divisive issue St. Louis, with advocates calling for more options, while others fear these reform tactics could dismantle the public school system.

Members of the panel said they weren’t “anti-public school” but wanted to offer other options to problems with special education.

The discussion primarily focused on plans to start a tax credit program which meets the needs of Missouri students while saving tax payers a lot of money.

“It will make the public schools more efficient and provide them with more resources,” said Dave Roland, policy analyst for the Show Me Institute.

The tax credit program calls for individual donations to fund scholarships. No public money would be used.

The measure needs to be passed by Missouri’s General Assembly to go into effect.

“Just because someone doesn’t have financial means they shouldn’t be locked into a school system that doesn’t serve their children’s needs,” said Anna Rich of the St. Louis Learning Disabilities Association.

Also at the meeting was David Thomas, CEO of the Logos School program. He is supportive of the upcoming measure seeing it as another option for families. Logos currently works with St. Louis Public Schools, taking on special needs students the district is unable to serve, if the family can afford the cost.

If the bill were to pass more students would be able to attend Logos’ private program.

“If a child (doesn’t) succeed we’re not answering them,” he said. “We’re not passing the test.”