THE AUTISM INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX AND THE WACHUSETT REGIONAL SCHOOL DISTRICT’S MASSIVE BUDGET BLOAT SINCE FISCAL YEAR 2015

Effective 1 October 2015 Massachusetts law requires that MassHealth/Medicaid reimburse schools through school Medicaid offices for children under age 21, placed on the so-called “Autism Spectrum,” enrolled in such schools and receiving so-called ABA/Applied Behavioral Analysis under their individual “Special Education” plans. Private health insurers ARE NOT required to reimburse schools for ABA services provided to THEIR insureds. HOWEVER, school districts have another incentive to get your child pegged on the so-called “Autism Spectrum”—Chapter 70 funding from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. SEE FY2024 Preliminary Chapter 70 Aid and Net School Spending Requirements – Chapter 70 Program – School Finance (mass.edu) Massachusetts ABA types have their own lobbying trade group– https://www.massaba.net/ –supported, directly or indirectly, by various cheerleaders– https://www.masslegalservices.org/system/files/library/FINAL%20post-Oct%20ABA%20%20QA%20w%20IEP%201207.pdf  So, if you have a typically energetic and hard-to-handle boy, or a very shy girl or boy, there are financial incentives for the school psychologist to tell you that your child is on the so-called “Autism Spectrum.” All of that is part of the burgeoning scam known as “Autism, Inc.: The Autism Industrial Complex”– Autism, Inc.: The Autism Industrial Complex in: Journal of Disability Studies in Education Volume 2 Issue 1 (2022) (brill.com); https://www.amazon.com/Autism-Industrial-Complex-Marketing-Investment/dp/1975501853 Placing kids on the “Autism Spectrum” is generating a huge “services” market– Autism Spectrum Disorder Treatment Market Report [2022-2029] (fortunebusinessinsights.com)  As always, follow the money and you’ll find a burgeoning scam. Scroll down and check out what happened in the Boston Public Schools– https://www.thenation.com/article/society/private-equity-autism-aba/ Now that ABA crap has overrun the WRSD at OUR expense despite a growing backlash and condemnation of such “Applied Behavioral Analysis”– https://fortune.com/2022/05/13/autistic-community-reckoning-aba-therapy-rights-autism-insurance-private-equity-ariana-cernius/

In addition to all the school psychologists and guidance counselors, check out the MULTITUDE of “ABA Classroom Teachers,” “ABA Program Assistants,” “Special Education Teachers,” and “Special Education Aides” employed by the Wachusett Regional School District– WRSD Staff Directory (wrsdonline.net)  Do you really believe that there are THAT many “Autistic”/“Special Needs” students in the WRSD??? Me neither. There is a VERY large cottage industry component to it.

AND just guess what schools in the WRSD have the highest concentration of ABA-types on the payroll? YEP, none other than Sterling’s very own Chocksett and Houghton Schools. Check out the staff rosters yourselves. Gee, were your kids affected adversely by genetics, childhood vaccines, chemical exposures, or the Town well water? Answer: NO, IT’S A SCAM.

WRSD “ABA Classroom Teachers” are now paid up to $124,753/year; “ABA Program Assistants” up to $62,940.04/year; “Special Education Teachers” up to $101,612/year; and “Special Education Aides” up to $23,025.60/year. They are costing us $ Millions in property tax payments each year. When added to the “Central Office” and “District Wide” duplicative/overlapping job title payroll bloat, they account for a SIGNIFICANT portion of the WRSD’s overall payroll bloat in budgets that went from $81.3 million in FY 2015 to $109 million this FY 2023, that DESPITE the WRSD total student enrollment falling by 754, a full 10%, since FY 2010.

Yeah, Sterling Annual Town Meeting voters– be good sheeple and keep hosing yourselves and every other property taxpayer in Sterling by voting for the WRSD’s annual budget requests. Your next Annual Town Meeting opportunity for such self-flagellation is 1 May 2023 beginning at 6:30 p.m..  See you there.

J.G.