Special needs families hope Chicago strike will bring change

CHICAGO – A seven-day strike by Chicago teachers has hit students with disabilities and their families hard, but many say they support educators’ demands.

The Chicago Teachers Union and Chicago Public Schools remained at odds Saturday over teacher pay, staffing and class sizes. Progress has been slow but both sides reported positive talks late in the week.

The strike has cancelled classes for more than 300,000 students for seven days, including the 14% of Chicago students who receive some form of special education services at school.

Families whose kids receive special education services at schools say the disruption in their routine is a challenge. But they believe more nurses and counsellors in schools and raises for aides who work with special needs kids would change schools for the better.