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Parent urges Sachem board to allow special‑needs students who turn 22 to finish senior year
Summary
At the Dec. 4 board meeting a Sachem parent urged the board to adopt an exception after the state changed special‑education age guidance to 22, saying some students are being required to leave midyear while others are allowed to finish. The parent cited an online petition of nearly 2,000 signatures.
Kenny Scofield, a parent, told the Sachem Central School District Board of Education on Dec. 4 that a recent change in New York State special‑education guidance is leaving some students unable to complete their senior year.
"The reason we are here is because of the change in policy regarding special ed department and how long the special needs kids can stay in school," Scofield said, describing how the state adjusted the upper age from 21 to 22 after COVID to make up lost services. He said the district’s implementation is inconsistent and that "some kids . . . have to leave a few months into their senior year, and other students are allowed to stay and finish their whole year."
Scofield asked the board to adopt an amendment or local practice to let students in Brianna’s situation finish their senior year in district programs. He said the change was intended by the state to allow an extra year to recover services lost during the pandemic and argued that districts that force a midyear departure will, in practice, leave an empty seat for the remainder of the school year. "I don't think that's fair," he said.
Scofield told the board he and supporters organized an online petition that obtained nearly 2,000 signatures, and he suggested a narrowly tailored local amendment that would apply to students who were enrolled in district high schools during the COVID period rather than all younger students who may have more future years in which to recover services.
Kevin Denkel, who identified himself as a friend of the student named Brianna, followed and said simply, "I think my friend, Brianna, just stay in school," and described the disruption to the student and family if she were forced to leave midyear.
The speakers asked the board to consider either an explicit policy exception so students turning 22 during the school year can finish that year, or to clarify local guidance to avoid inconsistent application. The public comment closed with the board thanking the speakers; no board action on the request was recorded in the public portion of the meeting.
Next steps: The board did not take formal action on the request during the public session; the issue appeared on the meeting record only as public comment and may be raised again in committee or a future meeting.
