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Bethel Park updates special-education strategy: more inclusion, co-teaching and MTSS expansion
Summary
District administrators told the board the number of students identified for special education has risen and the district has increased inclusion (itinerant) placements, expanded co-teaching to K–3 and grown MTSS and behavioral supports; staff recommended forming a Special Education Parent Advisory Council ahead of the 2026 plan update.
Administrators presented a strategic update on student support services and special education to the Bethel Park School District Board, outlining steps to expand inclusive practices, co‑teaching, MTSS interventions and behavioral supports as the district prepares its next special education plan due in 2026.
Dr. Walsh (district administrator) and Student Support Services staff said the district is following federal and state requirements for a “full continuum of support” under the law commonly referenced as Chapter 14 and emphasized that supports are services, not locations. “It’s a support not a place,” a presenter said, explaining that autistic-support services can be delivered in regular classrooms via specially designed instruction (SDI), visual schedules and sensory breaks.
Presenters reported district counts and trends from the state’s December 1 snapshot: total identified special-education students in the district have increased since 2020, and the share of students spending at least 80% of the school day with non-disabled peers (described in the presentation as “itinerant”) has risen substantially over the past five years. The presenters said the district currently reported 783 identified students; a disability category described as “autistic support” included 135 students in the figures presented.
To increase access to core curriculum, the district said it has expanded co-teaching into kindergarten through third grade this year, pilots occupational therapy within MTSS to reduce pulls from core instruction, pursued inclusive curricular materials (CKLA adoption) and is examining a new math curriculum. The district also described efforts to grow community work‑based learning and transition partnerships at the high school to improve employment outcomes for students with significant disabilities.
Behavioral and emotional supports were highlighted: the district has increased Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) services, restored a SNAP (support) program, expanded PBIS initiatives and added school‑psychologist support. Presenters said progress monitoring data (MAP assessments, PSSA/PASA and MTSS progress measures) are used to evaluate whether inclusion and interventions are improving outcomes, and staff said they will refine metrics over the summer to better track achievement and mental‑health tiers.
Administrators asked the board to support forming a Special Education Parent Advisory Council to provide family feedback for programming and to inform the district’s 2026 special‑education plan. No formal board action was recorded on the report; the session was informational and staff said they will return with additional metrics and implementation details.
