Introduction
Despite the level of prenatal care services, it is not always possible to predict the progress of birth defects due to complex genetics. In the United States, Down syndrome is a common chromosomal disability characterized by the presence of a supernumerary chromosome 21, also known as trisomy 21 (Down syndrome, 2020). The percentage of children born with Down syndrome is not high, approximately 1 in 700 babies, which is about one percent of the total population (Down syndrome, 2020). People with Down syndrome might have healthy and active lives and live more than 60 years, but such challenges as mental retardation, developmental delays, and risks for heart disease cannot be ignored. Thus, parents or caregivers of children with Down syndrome try to choose the best schools to help their kids fit in the world. In this paper, the causes and outcomes of Down syndrome will be examined to create a basis for comparing the two types of schools in Illinois. Compared to Chicago Public Schools, therapeutic day schools can provide special needs kids with the necessary tools, accommodations, and resources to students and their families.
Down Syndrome
Essence
Chromosomal or genetic conditions predetermine the quality of human life and happen when there is a problem in chromosome structures that hold genes. In most cases, children inherit genes from their parents, but there are situations when unpredictable changes occur and provoke additional concerns. Normally, each person has 23 pairs of chromosomes, one from a mother and another from a father, 46 chromosomes in all (Thorpe et al., 2020).
An extra copy of chromosome 21 emerges and affects the way the human brain and body should develop. The main physical traits of Down syndrome are hypotonia (weak muscle tone), flat midface, short-appearing neck, brachycephaly (shortened head length), and broad or short hands and feet (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2021). In addition to evident physiological changes, children with Down syndrome have intellectual disabilities, memory deficits, and learning challenges (Rondal, 2020). Despite the intention not to notice the differences, all these issues increase the attention of normally developed children and make them compare each other’s abilities and appearances. Parents want to know as much as possible about this inherited condition’s causes, diagnosis, and impact to support their children.
Causes
A well-known cause of Down syndrome in newborns is trisomy 21, a genetic error that occurs by chance at the fetus’s early developmental stage. In 1866, John Down described the clinical characteristics of the syndrome, and the link between chromosome HAS21 and its phenotype was approved a century after (Antonarakis et al., 2020). While many parents accept the news and focus on offering their children the best care and treatment, some families are not ready to accept this genetic abnormality as the only explanation for their babies having this diagnosis. They need to know more about what provokes genetic change and if it is possible to avoid extra chromosomes. In addition to a free trisomy 21, translocation (HAS21’s relocation to another chromosome) and mosaicism (extra sets of chromosomes in the system) are used as the causes of Down syndrome (Antonarakis et al., 2020; Thorpe et al., 2020). Such risk factors as advancing maternal age and family history may increase the frequency of this condition in the child (Parizot et al., 2019). Down syndrome can be inherited and developed on its own randomly, and its diagnosis plays an important role.
Diagnosis
People may be diagnosed with Down syndrome in two ways: prenatal and postnatal. During pregnancy, mothers can take screening tests, usually offered as a regular part of prenatal care. Down syndrome can be detected from the 11th week of pregnancy when experts take deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) fragments or messenger ribonucleic acids (mRNA) from maternal blood samples (Rondal, 2020). Fluorescence in situ hybridization or FISH is a commonly applied method when chorionic villus sampling or uncultured amniocentesis is taken to detect chromosomal abnormalities (Thorpe et al., 2020).
If there are some concerns in blood samples, doctors add ultrasound for nuchal translucency to measure the fetus’s neck and reveal abnormalities (CDC, 2021; Rondal, 2020). Sometimes, parents make a decision to terminate a pregnancy and not have a baby with Down syndrome. If families choose to have a baby, postnatal tests are based on the child’s appearance to find the specific features and the results of chromosomal karyotype, where the number of chromosomes is calculated (CDC, 2021; Thorpe et al., 2020). All these techniques are usually safe for children and necessary for parents to be ready to examine the impact of the condition.
Impact
Down syndrome affects children’s life as well as the life of their parents in several ways. Firstly, intellectual disabilities may be observed in children with Down syndrome because of a low volume of gray and white matter in the brain provoked by low cell proliferation (Parizot et al., 2019). It becomes hard for such children to study and learn the material due to possible hearing and visual impairments. Secondly, behavioral problems occur, provoking unexplained anger, sadness, or excitement because of the inability to recognize the appropriate facial expressions in the desired context (Roch et al., 2020). Finally, extra chromosomes challenge the human immune system and explain the progress of such problems as heart disease, gastrointestinal issues (constipation or reflux), leukopenia, epilepsy, and dementia (Antonarakis et al., 2020; Rondal, 2020). The overexpression of genes in HAS21 is also a reason for early-onset Alzheimer’s disease when a person with Down syndrome reaches the age of 40 (Parizot et al., 2019). In fact, this condition may manifest in various forms, and the goal of caregivers, parents, and educators is to minimize the risks and create safe environments for special needs children.
Discrimination in Education
Education of children with Down syndrome is currently discussed in many academic facilities in the United States and abroad. Educators have to understand how to treat students with special needs and provide them with enough sources, tools, and equipment to maintain sufficient development and personal growth. According to (Carbone et al., 2023), positive perceptions of teachers toward students with Down syndrome affect the success of inclusive education programs and underline the importance of individual programs. However, there are situations when discrimination in education remains inevitable because of racial or socioeconomic factors.
Racism
Today, the government of the United States takes multiple steps to ensure equality and mutual support for all community groups. Special programs are developed to offer all American children the same education opportunities. Unfortunately, the number of Black families living in need prevails over the number of White families (Parolin, 2021). As a result, not all Black children are able to get high-level education, and structural racism bothers millions of people in the country despite schools’ legal obligation not to discriminate against families. Students with disabilities also face overrepresentation and unequal treatment at schools (see Figure 1).
Nowicki (2020) notices that Black students, as well as students with disabilities, remain disproportionately disciplined (e.g., 39% of Black students were suspended). At the same time, children with disabilities gain more attention, but the intentions seem more governmental-imposed because it is expected to help families in need instead of focusing on their real concerns and expectations. Still, children of African descent do not have regular access to classic physical findings, making the diagnosis delayed and more challenging (Omorodion et al., 2022). Thus, educating Black children with Down syndrome faces multiple critical challenges.
Socioeconomic Factors
Despite the necessity to cover the American population’s needs, many families continue living in poverty and facing socioeconomic problems in their education. According to Vadivel et al. (2022), children’s academic achievements depend on the family’s status, behavior, and parental involvement. As seen in Figure 2, today’s poverty rate is lower than several decades ago: 11.6% in 2021 and about 23% in 1959 (Creamer et al., 2022).
Kids from families whose socioeconomic background is low should concentrate on their employment more than on their studies. The relationship between poverty and education cannot be ignored, and this type of discrimination affects how low-income families choose education for their children. When the question about educating the special needs child emerges, the number of challenges grows because it is hard for a person to understand what should be prioritized. The Global Down Syndrome Foundation and the National Down Syndrome Congress are the organizations that support people living with the condition (Varshney et al., 2022). Still, they lack the resources and funding to enhance all education, healthcare, and research opportunities. Therefore, parents must strive for their children’s rights and chances for a normal life.
Chicago Public Schools
The citizens of Illinois have several choices to educate children with special needs, and public schools become one of the commonly available options. Addressing the existing federal laws, families realize that special education services should be promoted in the state to ensure schools provide the required accommodations for children with disabilities. In 2004, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) was enacted to help all children, including those with Down syndrome, get a free public education (Williams, 2022). As a result, more public schools were open for children with disabilities to prove that the IDEA is still working and helping all American families.
History
In the middle of the 19th century, Chicago was officially incorporated as a city, and Chicago Public Schools (CPS) became the governing body with more than 600 schools within its school district. During the first decades, their enrollment was about 27,000 students; in the 1900s, it reached 250,000 students; in the 2000s, more than 320,000 students attended CPS (History of Chicago public schools, n.d.). Parents get enough information about the conditions under which students can study there, and it is clear that CPS is a community that underlines the importance of commitment to keep families informed and engaged with school activities (Parents, n.d.).
Every neighborhood deserves the right to create the most favorable conditions for children’s education and preparation for college life and careers. Thus, there are several types of public schools available to the children of Illinois (see Figure 3). CPS received a federal grant ($27.5 million) to strengthen its merit-pay program for more than 40 low-performing schools in Illinois (History, n.d.). However, the COVID-19 pandemic changed the conditions under which students were studied, and all teachers and students had to accept a new form of education.
The Office of Diverse Learner Supports and Services
The chosen group of schools has a variety of departments with specific visions, missions, and ideas. Particularly, the Office of Diverse Learner Supports and Services (ODLSS) develops its services to support schools and families in terms of special education and offer appropriate instructions, interventions, and legal information (Chicago Public Schools, 2022). Following the statements defined in House Bill 40 and House Bill 2748, Illinois special education students are allowed to attend schools, meeting their needs. The ODLSS is responsible for providing students and their families with consultative services and teachers with assistance and instructions. Diverse learners should never be discriminated against for their inabilities and specific behaviors, and school administrators must confirm safe general education classroom conditions, environments, and resources (Chicago Public Schools, 2022).
In addition to educational obligations and requirements, such services as nursing care, audiology, social work, and speech-language pathology care are offered to address emotional, behavioral, communication, hearing, and literacy need (Chicago Public Schools, 2022). The work of ODLSS plays an important role at CPS to help children with special needs focus on their education and development within a community.
Complaints and Lawsuits
Despite the intention to create good learning conditions for students with special needs, CPS is known for its court trials and lawsuits. Some parents noticed unfair treatment toward their children, and several CPS teachers had to explain their behavior in court. For example, recently, eight families whose children attended CPS claimed that “a long-time teacher at Whistler Elementary School on the Far South Side mentally and physically abused several students in her classroom” (D’Onofrio & Kawash, 2023, para. 5).
Although the teacher had a more than 20-year-old experience, she demonstrated inappropriate behavior and used a wooden ruler to threaten physical harm to students who experienced difficulties in completing their classroom assignment. Several parents admitted their children’s behaviors changed for the worse since attending CPS (Rumpf-Whitten, 2023). Although it was the only well-known case in the last ten years, it was clear that not many parents were ready to talk openly. Thus, there is a belief that some families do not want to make their children’s lives public and solve their schools’ concerns in court.
Pros and Cons of Educating Kids with Disabilities
Any form of education has its positive and negative aspects, and it is important to identify the most critical issues and understand what has already been done and what should be done. CPS administrators continue improving the conditions under which kids with disabilities have to study and support families. At the same time, suits and parental dissatisfaction cannot be ignored because most people understand that it is hard to recognize a problem within a perfectly developed school report. Therefore, attention should be paid to public opinions and experiences shared online. Personal blogs and such public sites as Indeed.com can help gather different facts, while most of them remain subjective (Chen, 2023; Chicago Public Schools employee reviews, n.d.). Still, these ideas are necessary to clarify what people think about CPS and how they make their choices.
CPS stakeholders underline the importance of guidance and information to explain what services can be offered and what expectations should be imposed. The schools work under the IDEA to identify students’ rights for free and appropriate public education (Chicago Public Schools, 2022). Principals and teachers appreciate parental involvement and promote the development of new home and hospital programs. All roles are clearly explained, including the responsibilities of a school administrator (resources, instructions, and services), district representatives (meetings, monitoring, and assistance), and special education teachers (students’ strengths and weaknesses, personal data, and progress) (Chicago Public Schools, 2022).
Employees are satisfied with flexible working schedules and the possibility to work with kids and manage their basic emotional, learning, and health needs (Chicago Public Schools employee reviews, n.d.). Leaders are interested in choosing the best staff to succeed in classroom management and cooperation. New instructions are constantly discussed and implemented to choose the right length of school days and reduce negative impacts on student performance (Chen, 2023). Children with disabilities need enough time and good personnel to contribute to their development and understanding of the world, and CPS teachers create such opportunities.
However, there are also several problematic issues in CPS, and all those reports and observations are not enough to reveal the truth about the chosen facility. For example, Cherone (2023) informs that approximately 20% of CPS experience budget cuts, which results in enrollment declines. On the one hand, it is planned to spend $150 million on schools with special education classes (Cherone, 2023). It means that students with Down syndrome or other mental health disorders can get special treatment and new resources. On the other hand, it would be hard to ignore the concerns and teachers’ low performance in other spheres, resulting in poor management, dissatisfaction, and a toxic work environment (Chicago Public Schools employee reviews, n.d.).
A low level of communication and cooperation between teachers and administrators is also reported, proving the importance of changes (Chicago Public Schools employee reviews, n.d.). In addition, parents cannot be present in classrooms and observe how teachers without medical education treat their children with special needs. Thus, most situations remain poorly discussed, and public lawsuits prove that physical and emotional harm is still present, which makes CPS questionable facilities for kids with disabilities.
Therapeutic Day Schools
In Chicago, as well as in other cities of Illinois, there are several therapeutic day schools where children with special needs may continue their education. These schools may be residential and non-residential specially designed facilities to help troubled children or students with disabilities (Kennedy, 2022). Lawrence Hall School, JCFS Therapeutic Day School, Connections Day School, and Chicago Area Alternative Education League are examples of such schools. In most cases, parents choose schools for their children relying on their geographical location and the characteristics administrations share in their profiles. The main idea is to find a place where students can learn and be supported by professional educators who are aware of how to identify children’s strengths and weaknesses and use them for personal progress. The history of each school is unique, and in this project, attention will be paid to Lawrence Hall School to show how academic facilities have developed through the years.
History
In the United States, several therapeutic day schools were established in the middle of the 20th century when the Education for All Handicapped Children Act (EHA) was signed to protect the interests of children with disabilities. President Ford offered the EHA to make local profit and non-profit organizations meet individual needs, improve academic results of children with disabilities, and help their families (“A history of the individuals with disabilities education act,” 2023). In the 1900s, not all schools accepted children with disabilities or agreed to take only five students, making the exclusion of deaf, blind, and emotionally disturbed a serious academic and social problem (“A history of the individuals with disabilities education act,” 2023). In the 1990s, the law was reauthorized as IDEA, and now all American schools have to follow its standards.
However, some schools were available to American families before that legal improvement. For example, at the end of the 1800s, Lawrence Hall was known as the Chicago Home for Girls and became a school for boys with time (“History,” n.d.). The idea was to provide orphaned Chicago children who struggled to survive the Civil War’s outcomes with fair educational opportunities. In 1972, a private special education school was opened for CPS students with special needs and learning disabilities. The population could not deal with all childhood traumas and inabilities, and it was necessary to offer families help. The essence of therapeutic day schools was the creation of comfortable environments and activities for troubled children and teenagers. Compared to CPS, therapeutic day schools provide therapeutic services and academic instructions for students on equal terms.
Complaints and Lawsuits
Compared to CPS, where parental complaints are publicly discussed, therapeutic day schools do not have such a reputation. Still, there are situations when schools use the police as disciplinarians and provoke concerns about the effectiveness of therapeutic options (Richards & Cohen, 2022). Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), Down syndrome, autism, and oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) are common behavioral problems among children who attend therapeutic day schools in Illinois. For example, in Garrison, a public therapeutic day school in Jacksonville, Illinois, and a part of Four Rivers Special Education Center, there are about 65 students with disabilities (Richards & Cohen, 2022).
Some children experience personal traumas, while others suffer from sexual abuse, parents’ deaths, or family members’ incarceration (Richards & Cohen, 2022). As a result, even the most professional educators cannot control their behaviors and call the police to manage students’ aggressiveness and other forms of misbehavior. Chicago Tribune revealed over 100 charges against children (even those about nine years) during the last five years (Richards & Cohen, 2022). Making young citizens with ADHD or ODD a part of the justice system is not the best option, but these facts cannot be ignored.
Pros and Cons of Educating Kids with Disabilities
Many families living in Illinois want to create the best conditions to maintain their children’s intellectual abilities and socialization and choose therapeutic day schools. The main benefit of this decision is to find an academic facility with a higher focus on students’ mental health. In many cases, parents consider therapeutic day schools when they see that their children are challenged by emotional or behavioral issues and understand that ordinary public schools are not effective (Kennedy, 2022).
In addition, these facilities support children in developing essential life skills and communication processes. Another significant positive aspect is cooperation with parents and giving clear explanations and recommendations to ensure positive perceptions of the challenges and opportunities (Bowling et al., 2019). Possible barriers to educating children with special needs include depleted resources, a lack of special programs, and dysregulation (Bowling et al., 2019). The staff from therapeutic day schools use positive reinforcement, expand healthy choices, and promote safe habits among their children and parents. In other words, these schools help not only students but their parents and families.
In addition to a number of benefits of therapeutic day schools, there are several drawbacks that should be recognized by any parent who thinks about this option for a child. Some children with disabilities are not ready to spend much time in a new environment far from their families and regular caregivers. Some parents are challenged by the peculiarities of the admission process: the necessity to prove the diagnosis, meet the deadlines, and gather the required documentation (Kennedy, 2022). In such schools, the staff offers a variety of programs, and children need additional time to realize if the chosen program provokes the necessary effects.
Finally, therapeutic approaches added to regular instructions have their price, and not all American families are ready for such costs. According to Kennedy (2022), monthly charges are about $6000, excluding medications and specialized treatment plans. Taking into consideration the current poverty levels and low employment rates, parents need additional support to ensure their children can apply for therapeutic day schools (Creamer et al., 2022). Thus, administrative and financial challenges become the main cons of educating children with special needs.
Analysis of Schools for Kids with Down Syndrome
Today, American families have the right to choose a school for their children to attend, depending on their needs, mental health disorders, and other conditions. CPS and therapeutic day schools have a list of benefits and some shortages, and this analysis aims to identify which facility is more applicable for students with Down syndrome. Both types of schools are characterized by creating a safe and welcoming environment, free from violence, abuse, and bullying (Down Syndrome International, 2023).
It means that the problems related to racism can be decreased to ensure all students are equally treated and supported by the staff. All Illinois facilities should work according to the IDEA principles, meaning that all children aged 3 to 21 years with at least one properly identified disabling condition have the right to receive appropriate education (Chicago Public Schools, 2022). However, in the case of CPS, the child’s education is free, and therapeutic day schools impose charges on their students (Chicago Public Schools, 2022; Kennedy, 2022). Thus, from a purely financial perspective, CPS are more beneficial for children with Down syndrome or other mental diseases.
However, there are many other factors that might change the parental attitude toward CPS and consider therapeutic day schools more effective. According to Carbone et al. (2023), most children with Down syndrome have good relationships with their peers, but they also need additional support from tutors. Compared to CPS, that basically depend on governmental funding, therapeutic day schools spend their clients’ money on human resources and equipment. According to the IDEA, classroom equipment includes worktables, chairs, and other details that make students feel comfortable outside their homes (Chicago Public Schools, 2022). In public schools, some classrooms are well equipped, but not all students and educators distinguish between the current needs of students and the necessity to organize a class. Thus, unequal distribution of resources and discrimination of racial or social backgrounds challenge children with Down syndrome in CPS. Parents choose therapeutic day services to combine the child’s intellectual, health, and communication needs.
In schools where special education is promoted, there are several integral interventions organized by healthcare experts collaborating with educators. For example, in Illinois, the following activities are obligatory: annual screening of children, ongoing coordination and review in general education classrooms, and referrals (Illinois State Board of Education, 2020). It is also expected that therapeutic day school teachers are aware of possible vision/hearing impairments, communication problems, and attention concerns and make all the necessary adjustments for effective learning (Down Syndrome International, 2023).
In classes with students who have Down syndrome, targeted development and individual education plans are offered under professional supervision. In CPS, there is a threat that the staff and children become preoccupied with Down syndrome more than the child him/herself (Barnet Leading Edge Group for Children and Young People with Down Syndrome, 2020). As a result, differentiation, negative attitudes, and prejudice affect the quality of education.
Some schools find it helpful not to distinguish children as per their mental health problems and treat all students equally. However, Down syndrome is a challenge for children and families, and special treatment, as well as education, should be analyzed. Even if a child is able to develop good relationships in a class, talk to peers, and cooperate, educators must understand that some difficulties might occur with time without any reason (Parizot et al., 2019). There are also challenges with emotional expression in children with Down syndrome, including anxiety, depression, compulsive behaviors, and oppositional stances (Roch et al., 2020). In CPS, not all teachers are properly trained to manage the classroom with such behavioral changes, while therapeutic day schools hire people who are aware of the required technique and can stabilize the situation.
Accommodations for Down Syndrome Kids
In addition to a properly chosen school and well-prepared teachers, children with Down syndrome expect to have solid accommodations in the classroom. There are many ways for educators to support their students, focusing on physical characteristics, specific health conditions, behaviors, and personal interests. One of the first rules is to create an environment with visual material for students to memorize the information and address some hints in case of an emergency. Visual agendas help children recognize which lesson they have at the moment and which lessons will occur with time (Carbone et al., 2023). This accommodation contributes to emotional readiness and the organization of most classroom activities. Despite their intellectual disabilities and poor time management, many students with Down syndrome like to be prepared for their tasks and gain a portion of control.
Many children are eager to cooperate with their peers and teachers in the classroom, but it is necessary to remember that they might need more time to process information and choose the right answers. Thus, a lack of time and the number of students within a single classroom should be properly managed. In CPS, parents commonly report communication problems and social traumas, resulting in harming behaviors, obsessiveness with their conditions, and intentional cries and throwing things around (D’Onofrio & Kawash, 2023). Such situations happen because public schools usually have many children in class, and teachers cannot pay much attention to students with special needs. Therapeutic day schools continue improving their accommodations, create individual or small groups for teaching, and increase the number of family counseling sessions (Down Syndrome International, 2023).
If teachers do not observe the progress in children within the next 4-5 years, they may ask their colleagues for advice or talk to parents and clarify the inconsistency (Barnet Leading Edge Group for Children and Young People with Down Syndrome, 2020). Collaboration on time management and auditory accommodation is highly appreciated in schools where children with Down syndrome study.
In therapeutic day schools, education is as integral as psychological and healthcare counseling. Parental education and meetings with pediatric specialists are maintained to ensure parents understand how to support their children during a learning process (Antonarakis et al., 2020). Thus, it is recommended for schools to provide parents with a chance to be a part of their children’s education and invite them to the classrooms from time to time. This idea will allow all of them to discuss their activities at home when necessary. Parents should also talk to teachers in private and get enough information about their children’s successes and failures (Illinois State Board of Education, 2020). However, this communication must be free from children not to expose them to additional stress and discomfort.
Finally, several organizational rules must be followed to help educators accommodate students with special needs. Direct communication is obligatory because many, even normally developed children, may be easily distracted by external factors (Antonarakis et al., 2020). Although parental involvement is highly appreciated, there should always be clear and consistent boundaries in the classroom, as well as in the child’s lifestyle habits (Bowling et al., 2019). Some children cannot find the required equipment or tools to complete their assignments, and it is a responsibility of a teacher to make observations and offer help if a student is able to reach something or is distracted. These accommodations are not hard to follow, and the representatives of both facilities, namely CPS and therapeutic day schools, must meet the requirements. Still, the latter schools demonstrate higher endurance levels and cooperation with children who have Down syndrome or other special needs compared to the former facilities.
Resources for Educating Down Syndrome Kids
Education of children with Down syndrome has already become a crucial issue in the current American education system. Many schools have adjusted the necessary rules and standards to help individuals with special needs feel comfort and support in classrooms. However, choosing appropriate resources remains a burden for some organizations, and parents investigate the conditions under which their children might study before making a final decision. Today, there are many online resources that can be addressed to investigate and understand the peculiarities of students with Down syndrome. In addition, educators must work with parents, as the main resources of information about students, to enhance their unique educational needs. Finally, the resources for education include a variety of programs and activities implemented in the classroom to engage children and combine learning processes with studies.
Regarding the current technological progress and Internet activities, most resources for educating kids are usually available online, and it does not take much time for a person to find information. The main problem touches upon the necessity to differentiate between credible and questionable facts about Down syndrome and educating children with such a diagnosis. It is recommended to use sources with domains like “.org,”.edu,” and “.gov,” while commercial sites (“.com”) may contain diverse and subjective material. Many professional organizations share interesting and helpful information about Down syndrome and recommendations to support children. Some of them are the National Down Syndrome Society, the Global Down Syndrome Foundation, and the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. To improve personal awareness of the condition and available academic facilities, parents are able to visit the official websites of schools and medical centers and read what experts offer, particularly to children with Down syndrome.
Help for children with Down syndrome gains different forms today, and parents contribute to developing special services offered by tutors. Attention is paid to such resources as guidelines, surveys, templates, and forms that parents should read and fill in to provide teachers with the necessary information about children. Parents become the main resource for educating children with Down syndrome. They must be active in education processes, cooperate with teachers, and participate in problem-solving procedures (Illinois State Board of Education, 2020). Based on their personal experiences, parents see what their children might need and decide what skills play a more integral role. Teachers, in their turn, identify if a child requires supportive tools in case of visual or hearing impairment and make notes if specialized care is expected. In CPS, a low level of cooperation with parents is observed, while therapeutic day schools encourage parental involvement.
Today, profit and non-profit organizations share their achievements in educating children with special needs online. They offer new programs and activities to strengthen cooperation with students and teachers. According to Carbone et al. (2023), children with Down syndrome enjoy establishing good relationships with peers due to their similar age and interests, and teachers should be more trained to understand what strategies are required. In CPS, collaboration between curricular and support teachers is low because the staff should work with various students. In therapeutic day schools, Down syndrome or other mental and behavioral disabilities are thoroughly recognized to meet students’ expectations and needs. Thus, online programs, guidelines, and activities become good resources for educating children with Down syndrome.
Conclusion
In general, this analysis of CPS and therapeutic day schools proves that Down syndrome is a serious mental health problem that affects all educational processes and people’s perceptions. On the one hand, it is expected that parents play an important role in defining the quality of the child’s life and the resources available for his/her education and cooperation with the world. On the other hand, the contributions of teachers and schools cannot be ignored because children with Down syndrome still have the right to general education.
Comparing the two types of schools, it is possible to reveal the benefits and drawbacks in both directions. However, the number of official legal complaints, staff shortage, and the approaches applied in the classroom make CPS less effective than therapeutic day schools. Children with Down syndrome need to cooperate with their peers and learn new information, which is possible in CPS. Still, specialized facilities where education is combined with therapies enhance the children’s development and progress with respect to their special needs and health peculiarities. Therefore, the tools, resources, and approaches for students to succeeds are better provided by therapeutic day schools.
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