12.13.2012 | Rochester Democrat and Chronicle | Education advocates and parents implored the state Thursday to expand and reform its policies for preschool special-education programs. Several school groups, including the Alliance for Quality Education and Advocates for Children of New York, opposed the state’s decision in November to suspend approval of new special-education service providers or the expansion of existing programs. The state Education Department plans to revise criteria for approving such programs after various instances of fraud were uncovered in recent audits. It is unclear how long the review will take. “The state should punish crooks and should revisit some of its funding practices, but should not make young children with delayed development pay lifelong consequences for the actions of a small group of adults,” according to the groups’ recommendations, which were unveiled Thursday at a news conference near the state Capitol. Read article