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District special education update: classification rate near 14%; Special Olympics planned May 22
Summary
Special education lead Kelly Marciano told the board the district has 287 classified students (about 14%), described work on IEP-writing, increased inclusion goals and expanded work-study partnerships, and announced a Special Olympics event on May 22.
Kelly Marciano presented the Batavia City School District’s special education update, reporting that the district currently has 287 classified students—about 14%, up from 283 last year—and reiterated the district’s aim to remain under New York State’s 15% target for classification.
Marciano described a series of district actions to improve services: a guiding coalition called the People Support Network for special education leaders, professional learning communities focused on IEP writing and essential skills, alignment of IEP goals with related-service skills, and efforts to promote inclusion to reduce reliance on the district’s most restrictive self-contained placements. “We’re still same as last year, hovering around that 14%,” Marciano said. She said the team identified weak IEP-writing continuity and brought in BOCES support to run professional development on effective IEP writing.
Marciano also described expanded work-study placements and community partnerships; students are working at Tops and with agencies such as the ARC to gain job and life skills. The district’s preschool program is serving about 40 students, and Marciano estimated half or fewer of those students will need continued support when entering kindergarten.
The board asked clarifying questions about IEP contents, who counts as a student with a disability (Marciano said the count is students with IEPs), and transition services for 18–22-year-olds (Marciano said the district currently has about six students in that age range and expects seven next year). Marciano noted the district’s efforts to hold a Special Olympics event on May 22 in partnership with the New York State School for the Blind and volunteers from Genesee Valley BOCES.
What's next: The special education department will continue monthly People Support Network meetings, further professional development on IEP and goal-writing, and work on criteria for program placements and transition planning.
