Special education advisory urges more funding, staffing and early-intervention supports; offers program and hiring recommendations

Representatives of the Special Education Citizen Advisory Committee (CCAC) told the Howard County Board of Education on Sept. 11 that the district must align funding and staffing to the documented needs of students with disabilities, expand HR recruitment resources and sharpen accountability measures.

CCAC speakers said the committee is operating with a small annual budget (they reported approximately $2,500 for CCAC discretionary operations) and that the district's approach often feels compliance-driven rather than designed to expand classroom supports and placement options. The committee urged greater investment in staffing, professional development and family navigators; stronger onboarding and retention strategies for special-education staff; and more school-based coaching to reduce burnout.

Points CCAC raised and proposed actions

- Funding and staffing: CCAC said funding decisions should follow documented need and argued for more competitive pay and staffing for paraprofessionals, student assistants and other front-line special-education roles. - HR and recruiting: The committee recommended increasing HR budget and resources to actively recruit specialized special-education staff rather than relying on low-visibility channels. - Professional development: CCAC asked for ongoing, job-embedded training that includes bias and disability-awareness work and that provides staff with practical strategies rather than one-time workshops. - Program expansion: CCAC proposed expanding Intensive Resource Classrooms (IRC) at middle school, offering unified-classroom electives and creating electives for nonverbal students to broaden access to academics and life skills. - Accountability and governance: The panel asked for clearer metrics and stronger reporting to ensure the district implements strategic-plan elements and to measure progress.

Committee noted testing and diploma-track concerns

Board member Diane McCoy and CCAC discussed the district's use of alternate assessments and diploma/certificate-track placements. McCoy said state guidance recommends alternate-assessment participation below 1 percent of student population; she said the county currently exceeds that benchmark by roughly 100'200 students and urged the district to review whether early placement decisions in elementary grades limit later options for students.

District response and next steps

Chief Academic Officer Jen Webster and Superintendent Barnes acknowledged the concerns. Webster said conversations are underway to design job-embedded coaching and quick-response supports for teachers working in the most complex special-education settings; she also said the district is continuing to recruit for an executive director of special education, a central role CCAC and board members cited as critical to implementation and accountability. The district said it will continue to collaborate with CCAC as it finalizes the special-education strategic plan and refines staffing and training priorities.

Why it matters

CCAC's recommendations touch staff recruitment and retention, classroom-level supports and family navigation. The committee framed the issues as a systemic set of choices that will affect instruction, special-education outcomes and long-term student opportunities.

Speakers and references

CCAC repeatedly referenced COMAR and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) to underline the district's legal obligations for placement and services. CCAC requested increased discretionary funding to support family and community engagement and to supplement district-provided resources.