Burke County Schools outlines services for students with disabilities, schedules inclusive talent show and Spring Games

Vivian Radford, director of the Exceptional Children’s Department for Burke County Public Schools, told the school board the district serves about 1,927 students with disabilities — roughly 16% of the district’s student population — and reviewed how federal and state rules shape services.

Radford said the department follows the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and North Carolina State Board of Education policy in evaluating students, developing individualized education programs (IEPs) and placing students in the “least restrictive environment.” She outlined the IEP team composition and noted that stateside caps and local policy (Policy 1500) determine staffing ratios for intensive settings.

The presentation explained the continuum of services, from brief pull-out supports in general education to self-contained classrooms and a public separate school, North Liberty School, which serves students with more intensive needs. Radford described preschool referrals and a process to ensure eligible children have IEPs in place by their third birthday, and she noted the district provides related services such as occupational therapy, speech-language services and physical therapy.

Radford said Burke County’s behavior services team supports classroom management and crisis intervention for students with and without special-education eligibility and works with community partners to align school- and community-based mental-health supports. She also described transition planning required by IDEA beginning at age 14 and district efforts to provide pre-employment transition services and work-based enterprise opportunities at all four county high schools.

The department announced two public events tied to inclusion: an Inclusive Talent Show on April 11 in recognition of Disability Awareness Week, featuring at least 25 acts and a county art project to be displayed at the new central office; and the district-hosted spring games for the North Carolina Special Olympics, for athletes ages 8 through 22, with opening ceremonies typically at 8:30 a.m. and an expected end near 1:30 p.m.

Radford also described private-school evaluation responsibilities and the private-school service plan option, saying 37 students currently receive services through that mechanism and additional families have been identified as eligible for services if requested. She noted the state expanded a parent-satisfaction survey in January to all districts; Burke County ranked ninth statewide in responses at the time of the presentation.

Board members asked about data-sharing with Vocational Rehabilitation on postsecondary employment outcomes for students in pre-employment transition services; Radford said the district conducts postsecondary employment surveys and VR reports placements when they occur. Members also asked how private- school families learn about services; Radford said the district publishes notices, maintains outreach to private schools and schedules annual meetings to explain available services.

The presentation was informational; no board action was taken during the report.