Independent review finds uneven services, large achievement gaps in Knox County special education; recommends 14-step, 3–5 year action plan

Public Consulting Group (PCG) presented its independent review of special education services in Knox County Schools to the Board of Education at a May 5 work session, concluding the district has important strengths but also “critical areas of focus” that require a multi‑year response.

PCG’s report, delivered by Dr. Maria Ulick and Dr. Jennifer Baraboe, recommended 14 prioritized actions and a three‑to‑five year roadmap to address staffing and workload issues, inconsistencies in co‑teaching and inclusive practice, growing achievement gaps and several instances of disproportionality in eligibility and placement decisions.

Why it matters: the review found Knox County Schools (KCS) is exceeding state targets for some inclusive placements but still shows large performance gaps between students with disabilities and their peers and uneven implementation of district systems that the consultants say must be made consistent to improve outcomes for thousands of students.

PCG said the district has clear strengths, including an inclusive blended preschool model, Project SEARCH as a strong transition program, and a cadre of committed staff. But the consultants also documented recurring tensions that affect decision making: some families said legal complaints were their only route to secure services, while staff described making decisions with litigation risk in mind. PCG wrote that these “competing perspectives” have strained relationships and can steer decisions away from data‑driven, student‑centered outcomes.

The consultants highlighted four priority areas: (1) resolving competing perspectives between families and staff to support student‑centered decision making; (2) clarifying compliance and staffing impacts and moving from caseload to workload analysis; (3) expanding inclusive opportunities across the continuum of services, and (4) addressing disproportionality and achievement gaps.

Key findings and figures PCG cited in the presentation: 90 stakeholders participated in focus groups; more than 1,700 parents and caregivers engaged in surveys and outreach; a 2024–25 snapshot showed 77.3% of students with disabilities spent at least 80% of the day in general education (state average cited as 73.56%). PCG reported achievement‑gap ranges of roughly 20–28 percentage points in ELA and math in grades 3–8 and larger gaps at the high school level (PCG cited an average 26 percentage‑point gap in grades 3–8 for ELA and 36 percentage points at high school for ELA over the study period). The consultants also cited a reported 90% reduction in special education vacancies between FY23 and FY24 in one district snapshot, while cautioning that snapshot data do not capture rolling vacancies or attrition.

PCG flagged uneven implementation of co‑teaching practices in K–12 classrooms and urged clearer staffing and collaboration protocols so inclusive placement is meaningful instructionally, not only physical presence. The review praised several specialized programs and transition services but said outcomes for many students depend on improved alignment between specialized interventions (for example, structured literacy programs) and grade‑level instruction.

On disproportionality, PCG reported over‑representation for certain subgroups in non‑federally monitored categories: PCG cited that Asian students were more likely to be identified as intellectually gifted, Black/African American students had higher identification rates in functional delay, and other subgroup disparities in autism and intellectual disability identification. The consultants recommended improved monitoring for those categories and more transparent referral and eligibility protocols.

PCG recommended targeted actions including strengthening MTSS/RTI fidelity, aligning specialized reading interventions with core ELA instruction, conducting a comprehensive workload analysis (not just caseload counts), tailoring professional learning, expanding consistent co‑teaching models (pilot then scale), improving translation and accessibility for families, and leveraging the district ombudsman proactively to reduce legal escalation.

Dr. Maria Ulick, senior consultant at PCG, framed the report as “not a one‑time evaluation ... but really a step in ongoing continuous improvement.” Dr. Jennifer Baraboe, PCG senior lead education advisor, and district staff said the report will inform an action plan with measurable KPIs so the board and community can track progress.

Next steps described in the meeting: PCG will work with KCS on strategic planning and a recommended three‑to‑five year roadmap; the district plans to integrate the recommendations with existing priorities, engage the special education parent council and principal council, and present implementable milestones and KPIs for board review. Superintendent Reiswick and staff said a nationwide search for the next special education director is underway (current director Dr. Loy is retiring) and that the district expects to announce a hire in the coming weeks; PCG’s consultants said their contract covers developing the strategic plan and implementation guidance but not ongoing long‑term oversight beyond that scope.

Board members requested regular updates; several asked the district to publish public‑facing KPIs and a timeline so families can track progress. The presentation closed with PCG offering to produce public‑facing progress materials and with district leaders saying they will bring a recommended action plan back to the board for approval.

"We want to encourage this to be done by strengthening inclusive practices and by reinforcing shared responsibility — this is not just a special education initiative but a districtwide initiative," Ulick said during the presentation.

Implementation details and limits: PCG emphasized pilots and regionalized approaches before districtwide rollout, cautioned about budget impacts (noting salary increases and bonuses already affected budget priorities), and recommended transparent family outreach and interpretation services for limited‑English families. Several board members asked for quarterly or semester updates while PCG and district staff finalize the strategic plan and implementation timeline.

The report and the presentation will be on file with the district; PCG said it intends to return with a recommended plan and measurable milestones for the board’s consideration.