School District Expands Special Education Services to Address Rising Student Needs
March 25, 2024 | East Penn SD, School Districts, Pennsylvania
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The East Penn School District Board convened on March 25, 2024, to discuss critical updates regarding special education services and mental health support for students. The meeting highlighted the increasing concerns surrounding student behavior and mental health, which have been correlated with the implementation of the K-12 Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) across the district.
The board reported that as of the previous year, 1,594 students, or 19.9% of the total student population of 8,005, were receiving special education services. This figure represents a 0.6% increase from the previous school year, surpassing the state average of 19.3%. The district provides a range of special education supports, including autistic support, emotional support, enhanced learning support, learning support, and speech and language services, all offered at varying levels of intensity.
Taylor Maddox, a representative from the district, detailed the distribution of special education programs across the district's schools. Each elementary school has learning support classrooms tailored to the number of students, with specialized programs located at specific schools, such as emotional support at Shoemaker Elementary and autistic support at Westcoastville Elementary. The high school and middle schools also offer comprehensive programming, including life skills programs managed by the Carbon Lehigh Intermediate Unit.
The board emphasized the importance of a continuum of services, which includes consultative support, instructional assistant support, co-teaching models, and pull-out support for students requiring more intensive assistance.
Looking ahead, the special education team outlined several initiatives for the next three years. Key goals include the continuation of the K-12 MTSS framework, expansion of services at the elementary level, and increased mental health and behavioral support. Plans are in place to introduce additional psychologists and behavior analysts, as well as the anticipated opening of an Independent Living Skills Lab, designed to teach students essential life skills in a simulated apartment setting.
The board also expressed a commitment to enhancing inclusive practices and extracurricular opportunities for students of all abilities, highlighting existing programs such as Best Buddies and Unified Track and Field. Furthermore, there is a proposal to explore the feasibility of expanding life skills support classrooms to better serve younger students in need.
The meeting concluded with a focus on aligning specialized programs and ensuring equitable access to educational resources for all students, setting a clear path for future developments in the district's special education framework.
The board reported that as of the previous year, 1,594 students, or 19.9% of the total student population of 8,005, were receiving special education services. This figure represents a 0.6% increase from the previous school year, surpassing the state average of 19.3%. The district provides a range of special education supports, including autistic support, emotional support, enhanced learning support, learning support, and speech and language services, all offered at varying levels of intensity.
Taylor Maddox, a representative from the district, detailed the distribution of special education programs across the district's schools. Each elementary school has learning support classrooms tailored to the number of students, with specialized programs located at specific schools, such as emotional support at Shoemaker Elementary and autistic support at Westcoastville Elementary. The high school and middle schools also offer comprehensive programming, including life skills programs managed by the Carbon Lehigh Intermediate Unit.
The board emphasized the importance of a continuum of services, which includes consultative support, instructional assistant support, co-teaching models, and pull-out support for students requiring more intensive assistance.
Looking ahead, the special education team outlined several initiatives for the next three years. Key goals include the continuation of the K-12 MTSS framework, expansion of services at the elementary level, and increased mental health and behavioral support. Plans are in place to introduce additional psychologists and behavior analysts, as well as the anticipated opening of an Independent Living Skills Lab, designed to teach students essential life skills in a simulated apartment setting.
The board also expressed a commitment to enhancing inclusive practices and extracurricular opportunities for students of all abilities, highlighting existing programs such as Best Buddies and Unified Track and Field. Furthermore, there is a proposal to explore the feasibility of expanding life skills support classrooms to better serve younger students in need.
The meeting concluded with a focus on aligning specialized programs and ensuring equitable access to educational resources for all students, setting a clear path for future developments in the district's special education framework.
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