Bixby parents press board for meaningful inclusion after year-old state complaint; audit due in June

At the Bixby Board of Education meeting on Thursday, May 8, several parents and a student told trustees the district has not delivered consistent inclusion for students with disabilities and urged immediate corrective action after a state complaint filed about a year ago.

The calls for change came during public comment from parents who said they and other families have repeatedly raised concerns in meetings and in a formal complaint. “Last May, nine families, including mine and these two families over here, filed a complaint against the district because our children were not being educated in their least restrictive environment as required by IDEA,” said Katie Huff, who identified herself as the parent of two Bixby students.

The complaint and parents’ testimony prompted district staff to report that an outside audit is under way. A staff member briefing the board said the consultant team has completed site work that included classroom observations and focus groups and that the district…