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State flags potential placement disproportionality; Niskayuna begins targeted review
Summary
The district received a state "at-risk" notification regarding placement disproportionality for a small subgroup—Asian students with disabilities spending less than 40 percent of the day in regular education—and is partnering with Measure Inc. for technical assistance.
District staff told the academic committee that the New York State Education Department issued a notification that the district is "at risk" for disproportionality in placement for a small subgroup: students who are Asian and have disabilities and who spend less than 40 percent of the school day in general education settings. The update was presented by a staff member working with the special-education team.
Staff said the subgroup size is small: 57 students in the district are identified as Asian students with disabilities; of those, 20 were reported as spending less than 40 percent of their day in regular education, and 16 of those 20 are in kindergarten through eighth grade. The district identified that many of the students in that bucket are in more restrictive 12:1 or 8:1 self-contained placements focused on communication or life-skills programming.
The state pairs districts receiving such notifications with Measure Inc., which will provide technical assistance and help the district examine contributing factors and root causes. District staff said they have already conducted an initial data dive, convened a first technical-assistance session with Measure Inc. and neighboring districts, and plan continued coaching and monitoring throughout the school year.
Staff emphasized that the district's priority is increasing access to least-restrictive environments when appropriate, while ensuring placements remain educationally meaningful and dignified. The presenter said placement decisions remain individualized and are made at CSE (Committee on Special Education) meetings; staff said they will focus initial efforts on K28-8 programming where most of the affected students were identified.
Committee members asked whether demographic shifts could explain the notification; staff said a small change in a subgroup of 57 students could produce the observed numbers and that expanded in-district self-contained programming over recent years may have increased in-district placements as families and referrals responded to available programs. Staff said they will continue to analyze the data and report back with specific action plans.
