External review finds Shenendehowa special-education inclusion rates above regional averages, recommends clearer program descriptions and transition teams

An external team of consultants presented a special-education program review to the Shenendehowa Central School District Board of Education, reporting strengths and recommending changes to clarify procedures and strengthen transitions between programs.

John Maguire and Dr. Michael Nyman of the consulting team told the board their work included interviews with roughly 151–181 stakeholders across buildings and analysis of district data. They identified multiple areas of strength, including a relatively high inclusion rate: 71.8% of students with disabilities spend 80% or more of the school day in general-education settings, and that rate increased nearly 7% over the last three years. The consultants called that a district strength.

Consultants also reported low out-of-district placement numbers: as of June, 38 students were in non-district placements, representing about 3.28% of the identified special-education population, which the team described as one of the lowest rates they have seen among peer districts.

On programmatic and operational issues, consultants recommended several steps to improve consistency and equity:

- Develop clearer written program descriptions and district-wide eligibility and exit guidelines for instructional programs and related services so similar student needs receive comparable decisions across buildings.

- Strengthen multi-tiered systems of support (MTSS/RTI) and consider a "reverse MTSS" safety net for students exiting special education.

- Expand integrated co-teaching (ICT) models and articulate best practices for ICT across the district.

- Create transition teams or vertical articulation processes (e.g., preschool-to-elementary, elementary-to-middle, middle-to-high) to ensure smoother student handoffs.

Consultants also reviewed staffing ratios and related services, noting that most positions were within expected ranges for a district of Shenendehowa's size; behavioral-health staff was an area for potential investment. Financial and operational reviews included Medicaid billing and transportation: consultants estimated total Medicaid-eligible reimbursements of about $1,018,151 and said the district currently receives about 79% of potential Medicaid revenue (a roughly $214,000 gap by their estimate). Transportation metrics indicated efficient routing, with a special-education ridership ratio near industry expectations and a regular transportation load of about 79%, which the consultants described as efficient.

Consultants said the district has strong cooperation among staff and recommended prioritizing enhanced professional development, building-level ownership of MTSS, consistent CSE (Committee on Special Education) procedures, and clearer program descriptions to preserve equity across schools. They offered to provide the full report and invited the board to submit follow-up questions; board members indicated they would compile questions and submit them to the consultants.

The presentation concluded with consultants thanking district staff for comprehensive data access and cooperation during the review process.