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South Kingstown director of student services outlines staffing gaps, program priorities
Summary
Director of Student Services Dr. Carson told the School Committee the district serves 404 students with IEPs, is seeing staffing shortages (especially teacher assistants and related-services staff), and has a short-term plan that includes facilitated IEPs, CLAC recruitment and programming changes to improve reading and transition outcomes.
Dr. Carson, South Kingstown’s director of student services, briefed the School Committee on the district’s special education caseload, programming and near-term priorities, saying the district currently reports 404 students on individualized education programs (IEPs).
"We have currently reporting 404 students, on IEPs," Dr. Carson said, noting that figure is down from a June count of 417 and that the district also serves several students placed out of district. She reported the largest disability categories were learning disability (110 students) and other health impaired (94 students).
The update summarized in-district programs — half‑ and full‑day preschool, push‑in and pull‑out resource services, co‑taught classes across K–12, related services (occupational and physical therapy, speech‑language, counseling and adaptive PE), an AIM social‑emotional program, the Bridges alternate‑assessment program for K–5 and a 6–12 life‑skills track, and the transition academy for ages 18–22.
Dr. Carson said district staff completed a Medicaid quarterly time study with strong participation and projected that Medicaid reimbursements will exceed last year’s recoupment. "100% of our staff participated and completed that," she said, referring to the most recent time study.
She described staffing shortages as the most urgent operational issue. The district has been filling vacancies through SchoolSpring and outside agencies but continues to struggle to hire teaching assistants and some related‑service providers; on one recent hire the candidate declined the job after accepting it, she said. The district has hired an elementary special education coordinator, Erin Hayes, and is working with building administrators to align staffing and programming needs for FY26.
Dr. Carson said the district is implementing facilitated IEPs — a Rhode Island Department of Education initiative that standardizes agendas and meeting norms to increase family participation — and training additional staff in the process. She also said the district is rebuilding its special education local advisory committee (CLAC) and plans outreach events and a transition college panel on April 10.
On transition services, Dr. Carson noted the district’s job coaches and the Office of Rehabilitation Services work with employers to place students. She said two transition‑age students recently obtained community employment and will be supported by adult services after they leave the district.
No formal committee action was taken on the student services update; committee members asked for follow‑up details about caseload distribution, the parent survey sample size and plans for program expansion. Dr. Carson identified priority next steps as developing a FY26 budget request that addresses staffing and program gaps, planning extended school‑year (summer 2025) services, continuing recruitment for CLAC leadership and working on return‑to‑district plans for selected out‑placed students.
Dr. Carson closed by asking for ongoing committee support as her office pursues those priorities.
