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Parent tells Vernon board special-education team failed his daughter; urges improved transition services
Summary
At public comment, a Vernon parent recounted a multi-year experience he says shows shortcomings in special-education supports and transition planning; the parent requested board attention and the board agreed to raise the issue with the Special Education Parent Advisory Group.
Martin O’Donnell of the Sussex section of Vernon used the meeting’s public-comment period to recount his family’s experience with Vernon’s special-education services and to urge the board to examine supports for students transitioning from school to work or independent living.
O’Donnell described his daughter’s academic history: he said she entered the district with an Individualized Education Program, made progress at Glen Meadow Middle School, and then struggled after moving to Vernon Township High School. He told the board he repeatedly raised concerns that his daughter could not perform basic arithmetic—addition, subtraction, multiplication and division—yet received passing grades in higher-level math courses. O’Donnell said he obtained a makeup test his daughter had taken and concluded from the paper’s markings that a teacher had worked out problems and given answers on the test; he described this as a failure of promised IEP accommodations and oversight.
O’Donnell told the board he and his wife ultimately homeschooled the student’s remaining coursework, saying the family paid privately to address gaps they contend the district did not remedy. He said the special-education team emphasized college preparation at his daughter’s final IEP meeting, but he believes staff did not adequately prepare her for employment or everyday tasks such as handling money.
Board members reminded O’Donnell of the five-minute public-comment limit. One board member offered to raise his concerns at the district’s Special Education Parent Advisory Group (CPAG) monthly meeting and urged parents to get involved. The board agreed to follow up and the staff said it would respond to questions raised about specific services and contract assignments.
What the board did not say publicly at the meeting: district staff did not announce any investigation or corrective action during the session. O’Donnell’s statements are his account of events and contain allegations about classroom practice and casework; the board meeting record shows they were offered for the board’s consideration during public comment.
Why it matters: families’ experiences with IEP implementation and transition planning are central to special-education oversight. The parent urged the board to examine whether students with intensive needs are receiving supports that enable post-secondary employment and independent living.
Follow-up: a board member said they would share O’Donnell’s comments with CPAG; staff committed to providing any requested clarifications about services and contracts referenced during the meeting.
