Special education, transition and ELL teams outline expanded transition planning and language supports

Special education and English‑learner staff told the board about training and programs intended to improve post‑secondary transition outcomes and classroom language supports.

Kendra Spolstra, a special education teacher at Oak View, summarized district training for transition planning for students on IEPs. “By the time our students turn 14, all students on their IEP…we must have gathered information and have goals written to support them in their reaching those goals,” Spolstra said, describing vocational assessments, employability skills and connections to recreational rehabilitation services.

Elementary special education teachers described a case‑study model: teams brought specific students to regular workshops to identify strengths, needed supports, measurable outcomes and next steps. “We have teachers that excel in academics and some in behavioral needs…being able just to pick each other's brains and figure out how are we going to help our students get to the next level,” one teacher said.

English‑learner program presenters Mary Hudson and Kayla Holland described PD sessions focused on literacy foundations for ELs, scaffolding strategies, sentence frames and supports for SLIFE (students with limited or interrupted formal education). Hudson said staff aligned instruction with ELPA standards and saw positive changes in classroom engagement and language acquisition.

Why it matters

District leaders said the training will change how transition IEPs are written and implemented, and will give teachers practical scaffolds to support ELs across content areas. The presentations were informational; no board action was required.