Syosset expands in-district special education programs; students lead new inclusive sports clinics

Syosset Central School District presented a multi-year expansion of in-district special education programming intended to reduce out-of-district placements and increase inclusive opportunities across grade levels.

"Our goal as a district and a department continues to be creating a community where all students feel a sense of belonging and have access to educational programs and supports that meet their unique needs," Ms. Goldthwait said as she introduced program changes and outcomes.

District presenters described several new and expanded offerings: a RISE (Reaching Independence through Supported Education) 12:1:2 middle school class, a 9'13 class at Village Elementary, expansion of integrated co-teaching (ICT) models across levels, increased related-service staffing (speech, occupational therapy and behavior analysts), and a plan to add more psychoeducational support at H.B. Thompson (HBT) Middle School. Administrators said these in-district options prevented roughly 6'8 kindergarten students and about 8 other K'12 students from needing out-of-district placements this year.

The district also described an interdisciplinary approach: related-service staff "push in" to classrooms for real-time support, training for K'12 special-area and elective teachers on inclusive practices, assistive-technology evaluations and programming handled by district staff, and a districtwide focus on AAC (speech-generating devices) use and classroom accommodations such as movement breaks and noise-cancelling headphones.

Student-led initiatives highlighted how programming extends beyond classrooms. Syosset High School students Louie Paredo, Anna Steinberg and Jake Steinberg ran a multi-session Unity Tennis clinic attended by 14 students with diverse needs and hope to make the sport a future challenger option. Eighth-graders Sahara Afzal and Sia Mehta described organizing an adaptive softball clinic as a Girl Scout Silver Award project; the clinic used wiffle balls, tees and foam bats, included station-based skill work and concluded with certificates and a pizza celebration.

"We wanted other students to get a chance to have a positive experience with other kids in sports," Sahara Afzal said, describing the softball clinic's goals and parent feedback appreciating inclusion.

Administrators reported staffing specifics: the district currently employs three board-certified behavior analysts (BCBAs) distributed across buildings; one BCBA is assigned to the high school and HBT, another supports four elementary schools, and the third supports three elementary schools and Southwoods Middle School. Presenters said the district's assistive-technology consultant and speech staff now perform device evaluations and programming in-house to reduce reliance on out-of-district vendors.

Why it matters: district leaders said keeping students in-district improves family access, continuity of services and social inclusion while building staff expertise and potential revenue through cross-contracting with other districts. Board members praised the work as reducing stigma and strengthening belonging.

Questions from board members included whether identification rates rose because the district had improved screening and early-intervention (UPK) access, and how AI tools might be adapted for individualized special education supports. Administrators said screening and UPK collaboration improve early identification and that the district is piloting careful, privacy-sensitive AI uses to generate intervention ideas, not to replace individualized professional judgment.

The presentation closed with examples of student engagement (a school store and a coffee shop staffed by RISE students, Challenger athletics and a band and cheer integration at events) and a call to continue expanding programs based on student need and staff capacity.