Governor Kelly visited the Butler County Special Education Interlocal in El Dorado this week.
Kelly toured and observed the facility’s vocational program, met with participants of the program, and discussed the importance of fully funding special education in Kansas.
“Every student deserves access to the resources and support they need to thrive both in and out of the classroom,” said Governor Laura Kelly. “Facilities like the Butler County Special Education Interlocal are going above and beyond to provide students with critical learning opportunities and teaching real-life skills to prepare for life after graduation. We must continue ensuring these programs are available for our students by fully funding special education in our public schools.”
Nearly 90,000 students in Kansas are in special education or gifted programs, which are funded through special education. The special education funding gap impacts every Kansas student. Governor Kelly has called on the state legislature to fully fund special education to ensure every student has the same access to resources and ability to thrive.
The Butler County Special Education Interlocal serves nine school districts. Project LIFE provides training for high school students and adult interns for sustainable employment and/or preparation for individual living accommodations. Through this program, Butler County provides performance-based training for special education seniors and 18-21-year-old interns to gain skills in the following areas:
- Food service/hospitality
- Maintenance/custodial
- Horticulture/landscaping
- Personal social skills/independent living skills
- Auto detailing
