North Andover outlines expanded special-education services and staffing plan

North Andover The School Committee heard a comprehensive update on the districtspecial-education program from Director Lynn O'Neil on Sept. 11, amid changes the district says are meant to keep more students in least-restrictive settings while strengthening services for students who need intensive supports.

O'Neil said the district's 202425 data show 1,049 students were on individualized education programs (IEPs), about 23.75% of the total enrollment of 4,416. "That is nearly a quarter of our student body," she said, and amounts to a higher share than the statewide average the district previously reported.

Why it matters: Special-education services account for significant staff and budget resources, and the district framed recent program shifts as both instructional and fiscal priorities. O'Neil described new staffing and program moves meant to improve access to grade-level curriculum, expand transition services for older students and reduce the need for out-of-district placements.

What the district announced

- Staffing: The district has added two assistant-principal-for-student-services positions (Franklin and Thompson elementary schools) and two special-education program coordinators (elementary; out-of-district and Launch programming). O'Neil said the hires aim to bring more administrative capacity to case management, special-education compliance and school-level leadership.

- Program changes: The elementary-language-based program moved to Sargent School after Kittredge closed; the RISE autism program at Franklin is adding a third classroom; the district combined two vocation/transition tracks at the high school into a single "Aspire" program and rebranded the 18-to-22 program as "LAUNCH." O'Neil said LAUNCH focuses on community-based travel training, internships and workplace readiness and currently operates from space at North Andover Middle School until a planned move to a renovated site.

- Summer services: The district provided extended-school-year (ESY) programming at four sites and related services for more than 200 students across tutoring, speech, occupational and physical therapy.

- Professional learning: The district plans continued professional development in language-based, multisensory programs and Tier 2 reading supports, including partnerships with Hill for Literacy and outside trainers for Wilson and other structured literacy methods.

Board discussion and context

Committee members asked for trend data and pressed whether North Andover is identifying students at the correct rates. O'Neil said the district's special-education percentage exceeds the state average and that identifying eligibility involves multiple checks to avoid misclassification. Committee members recommended a future data deep dive on trends in out-of-district placements, the ages/grades where placements occur, and whether targeted local investments could reduce high-cost out-of-district enrollments.

O'Neil emphasized family engagement and agency partnerships (including Department of Developmental Services referrals for adult services) as priorities to smooth transitions after age 22.

Bottom line

The presentation laid out tangible changes in program structure and personnel and flagged near-term priorities: (1) finish staffing and training, (2) monitor outcomes for inclusion and transitions, and (3) analyze out-of-district placement trends to guide possible investments intended to both improve student outcomes and contain costs.

For follow-up

Committee members asked O'Neil to return with targeted data on out-of-district placements (by disability category and grade band), updated enrollment figures for special-education programs, and an outline of anticipated training expenditures and timelines.