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Special‑education director reports 374 students with disabilities on Dec. 1; division pilots SPIRE reading curriculum with early gains
Summary
Goochland County Public Schools reported 374 students with disabilities on the December 1 census, roughly in line with state averages, and presented early positive growth from a pilot of the SPIRE reading program for students whose disabilities affect reading.
Sarah Franklin Murray, director of exceptional education, reported the division’s December 1 special‑education census: 374 students with disabilities out of a division enrollment of 2,643, a share broadly consistent with Virginia averages (approximately 14 percent). The majority of students were identified with learning disabilities or other health impairments (including attention disorders), with speech‑language impairments concentrated among younger students.
Murray explained that Virginia requires local divisions to submit a December 1 snapshot of students with disabilities; the division also reports service‑setting data showing that the majority of identified students spend most of the day in general‑education classrooms. Murray said that distribution underscores the importance of strong tier‑one instruction for all students.
As part of instruction for students with reading‑related disabilities, the division is piloting SPIRE, a structured, multi‑sensory reading program intended for students whose disabilities impact reading skills. Murray said early midyear MAP data for a small sample of students showed above‑average gains for those in the SPIRE pilot, with several individual students gaining 17 points or more from fall to winter on interim assessments where average growth would be roughly seven points.
Ending Murray told the board the program is in early rollout and that district staff will continue monitoring student progress; she emphasized that quality classroom instruction remains essential and that SPIRE supplements teacher practice for students with identified reading needs.
