A family with an intellectual disability is looking for ways to help keep their child safe at school, but they may not have much time to spare.

Read moreRead more”As of last week, schools have only a few days of school days that have a full day of school,” said Karen Covington, executive director of the Wisconsin Council of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing.

“You have to be prepared to be on call, but you have to do it in the time you have available.”

The council has been in touch with local school districts to share resources, and is working to increase the number of teachers and students with disabilities.

The council’s efforts have led to a few breakthroughs, like one that has already made a difference for a Wisconsin high school student.

A group of students from St. Paul’s Catholic High School were looking forward to having a special day with their teachers.

Instead, the group was told that it would not be a special school day.

Instead, the students will be required to sit through a mandatory 90-minute class with a teacher who is not able to speak the childrens native language, and has a physical or hearing impairment.

That is the first step to making a difference.

Covingmont said the council is working with schools to create a more holistic approach for schools to handle special needs students.

“I think the main thing is we need to be able to support the students, and we need them to feel that they are being supported,” she said.

“They’re not the problem,” she added.

“They’re the children.”

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