ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — As we get closer to the beginning of the school year, school closings and consolidations have some parents concerned about the quality of education for special needs students.
"I would like to see more inclusiveness in schools in Pinellas County," said Kamika Bradford.
Kamika Bradford’s son has special needs and she moved her child to a private school.
"We have to change schools and drive to Bradenton now…it’s a lot. It’s a lot of work as a parent to get your kid the things they need," said Bradford.
Tampa Bay 28 reporter Casey Albritton met Bradford at Tampa Bay 28's Listens Booth at the Speer YMCA in St. Pete. Bradford told Albritton she would like to see more resources available in both public and private schools.
"Allowing therapies to come in to work with the kid, I would like to see inclusiveness in that," said Bradford.
Bradford also thinks the ratio of teacher to students, especially in ESE classrooms, are too large.
"You have like one teacher, two assistants in a public school…not enough support, I mean only a teacher can do so much with twelve or thirteen kids," she said.
According to a study done by the Florida Department of Education for the 2025- 2026 school year, ESE classes were ranked as the classes that had the highest need for teachers.
Pinellas County Public Schools has also seen a decrease in student enrollment due to falling birth rates and budget adjustments, causing schools to close, teacher positions to be eliminated, and staff to be moved to new positions.
Stephen Dierking used to be a substitute teacher in the Pinellas County School District, and he said that many teachers have been leaving since the 2024 storms.
"A lot of people have left this area because they got flooded out by the hurricane and they are deciding it’s not worth it to fix up the house," he said.
According to Pinellas County Schools' website, the district serves over 13,000 special needs students.
Tailored classrooms, on-site speech, occupational and physical therapies are available, as well as intensive counseling and behavioral specialists.
According to a 2023 ESE overview, specialized ESE center classrooms in the district typically maintain a three-to-one student-to-adult ratio and classrooms range from seven to ten students.
Bradford said she wants more individualized instruction for special needs students going forward.
"Be more inclusive, get more support," said Bradford.
Share Your Story with Casey
Casey Albritton is dedicated to telling your stories throughout South Pinellas County. From St. Petersburg to Largo, she’s there to share the triumphs and struggles of the community she calls home. So, let Casey know about the stories that matter to you.
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