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Derby parent says special-education services left her son without a plan for life after graduation
Summary
At the March 24 Derby Board of Education meeting, parent Kirsty Manasivaris urged the board to address what she described as low expectations, missing documentation and inadequate transition planning in the district's special-education services.
Kirsty Manasivaris, a Derby parent whose son is due to graduate in weeks, told the Board of Education on March 24 that the district’s special-education process failed to prepare her child for life after school.
"My son is leaving the school without a meaningful education, a real plan for his future, and the support skills and opportunities he deserves," Manasivaris said during the patrons section of the meeting.
Manasivaris said her son’s individualized education program, or IEP, and transition plan were “a formality, not a road map,” and that required paperwork and prior written notices were vague or misleading. She described spending months studying laws and court cases and poring over documents to get what she considered required supports for her son.
"I had to step into roles I was never supposed to fill," she said. "If the system worked, why does my son have an IEP that sets low expectations instead of high goals?" Manasivaris added that the most recent prior written notice she received "told me everything without telling me anything" and did not provide data-driven justifications for decisions.
Manasivaris acknowledged classroom teachers and advocates in the district but said systemic procedures appear built for compliance rather than for individualized student success. She asked the board to act, saying that while Tyler is nearing graduation, "the next student is just beginning and it is not too late to make sure their future is different."
The board did not take formal action during the patrons segment. Manasivaris referenced procedural documents and legal notices as part of her remarks; she did not cite a specific statute or case during her comments.
The parents’ advisory council was mentioned by Manasivaris as a group that wants to partner with the district rather than oppose it. Board members did not respond with policy changes at the meeting, but the public comment was received during the patrons period and placed on record for the board's consideration.
