Parents press district on ESY eligibility, special-education audit and Agency of Education review

Parents and board members used the district’s regular reports section to press administrators about special education practices, extended school year (ESY) eligibility and summer services.

A parent identified in the meeting as Lindsey said she believes ESY eligibility decisions this year were narrower than in prior years. She said eligibility was being evaluated primarily on regression measures and that occupational therapy and physical therapy services “do not appear” to be available during the summer as they historically were. She described two children in her care with differing decisions on ESY eligibility and said mediation timelines mean one student may not receive additional services until after ESY has begun.

Superintendent Joanne Cannon described how the district uses special-education data for budgeting, program planning and comparative benchmark work: “We use the data when we're looking at budgeting, when we're looking at, next year, what we feel is going well or not in terms of the special ed data.” Cannon also told the board the district contracted an outside consultant to review special-education services and that the Vermont Agency of Education conducted a separate investigation after receiving patterns of complaints. Cannon said she has not yet seen either report and that the district is working on scheduling when those reports will be public.

Board members asked about timing; Cannon said the reviews would be completed “sometime in the next month or so.” No formal board action was taken at the meeting on ESY eligibility or summer services; the superintendent invited parents with specific cases to contact her directly.

Why it matters: ESY eligibility and availability of related therapies are important to families of students with disabilities. A district-contracted review plus an AOE investigation indicate systemic questions about service delivery; families raised urgent timing concerns about mediation and summer services.

Clarifying details: The superintendent said the district engaged an outside consultant to examine cost and quality of special-education services and that the AOE’s review was triggered by patterns of complaints. Cannon said both reports are expected soon but were not yet available.

Next steps: The superintendent offered to meet one-on-one with parents who have in-depth concerns. The board and administration indicated they will release consultant and AOE reports when available.