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 expects a full report in June. “They've finalized, what they've got 11 days to take. We have 1 day those 11 days have been classroom observations, focus groups,” the staff member said.

Why it matters: parents told the board they want more than symbolic inclusion. “True inclusion isn't about being invited into the room. It's about building a system that values every student while they're there,” said Laurie Lee, who identified herself as the mother of four, including a child with Down syndrome. Parents said they have provided training resources, attended meetings, and repeatedly asked for programmatic changes, but say many classroom placements and IEP outcomes remain unchanged.

Parents described consequences they attribute to exclusion from general education: lost instructional time, reduced access to grade-level curriculum and social opportunities, and the emotional toll on students and siblings. “Our children deserve better. They deserve to be seen as fully human,” Huff said. Lillian, who said she is an eighth grader and the sister of a third grader with Down syndrome, told the board: “I want my brother to have a future that's bright and full of possibilities... but that future starts now.”

District response and next steps: staff told the board the independent review (described in the meeting materials as the Stetson audit) examined a sample of files and has had on-campus time for observations and focus groups; staff said the audit team is finalizing its initial work and will produce a written report in June. Board discussion referenced outreach to comparable districts and the consultant's broader statewide experience.

Parents also urged board leadership to use the district's upcoming special education director search to select a candidate who understands both the legal requirements and contemporary best practices. “As you search for a new special education director, please don't aim for what's simply better than before. Raise the standard,” Carmen Haley, who identified herself as a mother of three, told trustees.

What the record shows: parents said the complaint was filed approximately one year earlier by nine families; they described repeated instances they consider noncompliant IEP meetings, placement decisions that keep students out of general education, and delays in implementing agreed supports. District staff confirmed the independent review included classroom observations and focus groups and that staff will present the consultant's full report at a future board meeting in June.

Board action: no formal policy change or vote addressing the complaint was taken at the May 8 meeting. Board members and staff directed staff to continue the audit process and to meet with stakeholders; parents urged more immediate operational changes and stronger leadership in special education.

The board is scheduled to receive the consultant's written findings in June, and parents said they will return to future meetings to press for implementation of improvements.