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District outlines MTSS, special‑education processes and counts for foster, homeless and ELL students
Summary
Cedar Springs staff presented the district’s multi‑tiered system of supports (MTSS), special‑education eligibility rules and counts for foster care (13), McKinney‑Vento (12) and English‑language learners (33). Staff emphasized data‑driven interventions and coordination with Kent ISD and regional partners.
Cedar Springs Public Schools’ student‑services staff briefed the school board on Oct. 13 about the district’s multi‑tiered systems of support (MTSS), special‑education eligibility rules and the district’s counts and coordination for selected special populations.
Student‑services presenter Devin Brandt summarized MTSS as a districtwide framework that includes academic, social‑emotional and behavioral supports delivered in three tiers. Brandt described tier‑1 as core instruction for all students, tier‑2 as targeted small‑group supports and tier‑3 as individualized, intensive services. “There is no wrong door at student services,” Brandt said, urging staff and families to contact the student‑services office for help navigating supports.
Brandt said district staff currently list 13 students in foster care, 12 students identified under McKinney‑Vento (federally defined homelessness), and 33 English‑language learners. He said foster‑care students have an educational right to remain at the school of origin when possible and that the McKinney‑Vento program uses a federal definition — students lacking a fixed, regular, adequate nighttime residence — to determine eligibility and transportation and enrollment rights.
A follow‑up presentation on special education explained the difference between Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) and Section 504 plans: IEPs provide specially designed instruction from certified special‑education providers; 504 plans provide accommodations to ensure equal access. Presenters described the district’s partnerships with Kent Intermediate School District (ISD) and regional districts for low‑incidence services (for example, severe cognitive impairment or deaf/hard‑of‑hearing services) and said regional collaboration helps limit costs for rare conditions.
Special‑education staff noted legal and compliance responsibilities — including Michigan administrative rules for special education, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and state performance reporting — and said evaluation referrals normally follow non‑response to evidence‑based tier‑2 interventions after scheduled progress‑monitoring cycles (generally 6–8 weeks).
The board received the presentations as informational; presenters encouraged parents to use the district point of contact for questions or to request evaluations and said some requests may be managed through building teams before formal special‑education referrals are made.
