In the past two years, more money has been poured into special education than any other part of the South Orange-Maplewood school district's budget—but that's on the verge of being cut back.

This year alone, inclusion classes were added in every grade in every elementary school. These classes are team-taught by regular and special education teachers. Twenty-nine new teachers were hired, staff was trained by experts, and new technology was purchased in a bold and expensive move funded by $1.5 million in federal stimulus funding.

But was it too much, too fast? "It's going to be hard to promise we can sustain everything we've started so far," Superintendent Brian Osborne told a large group of parents attending the Feb. 4 meeting of the Special Education Parent-Teacher Organization.

One in every seven children in the school district is categorized as having special needs. They include a wide range of learning disabilities, autistic spectrum disorders, ADD/ADHD, visual and hearing impairments and cerebral palsy. The recent gains have allowed children to attend their neighborhood schools and decreased the number of pullout programs, where children leave their home classroom to learn subjects like reading and math.

Parents have applauded the gains in special education, particularly the inclusion classrooms. In addition, six new classrooms have been added for students who otherwise would have attended out-of-district special education classes, Osborne said.

The superintendent made it clear he supports the philosophy of inclusive classrooms at the meeting with the Special Ed PTO, a group that advocates and supports children with special needs.

But faced with a tough budget year, the district is grappling with an anticipated shortfall of $2.2 million or more depending on how hard state cuts and health insurance hikes hit. "As we adjust and tweak, (special ed) is not the only place where we will look to make ends meet," Osborne said.

It is likely that special education jobs will be cut as the co-teaching model is re-evaluated and scaled back, he said.

Parents are fearful how the cutbacks will affect special education.

"We're not going back, we're not," stressed Dr. Patricia Barker, the district's director of Special Services.

That's little comfort to the parents of some of our most vulnerable children. Their ability to learn in school is a constant challenge, and it seems more change is on the way—for the two steps gained, one step will be taken back.

"I know it's scary," Barker said, "especially if (inclusion) is working for your child."

The budget realities may interfere, but I hold out hope that in special education, our journey is three steps forward, no steps back.