PCG review finds uneven special-education practices in Kent School District; consultants recommend targeted staffing and training

Consultants from the Public Consulting Group (PCG) presented the findings of a comprehensive special-education program review to the Kent School District Board during a public work session, outlining strengths in IEP processes and inclusion commitments while flagging wide variability in how students are identified and served across schools.

PCG—s Maria (Dr. Maria Julek) told the board the study used a convergent mixed-methods design that combined surveys, focus groups, classroom observations and document review. "These reports can never be something that sits on a shelf," she said, describing the team—s goal to produce actionable recommendations tied to implementation. PCG reported 198 completed parent survey responses, 252 completed staff survey responses, approximately 34 classroom observations across 13 schools and review of more than 58 documents and IEP files.

The consultants summarized districtwide metrics and troubling patterns. PCG reported that 971 students were referred for special-education evaluation and 704 were subsequently found eligible—an eligibility rate the consultants described as about 72.5–73 percent. PCG also highlighted extreme school-level variability in referral outcomes, noting examples where as few as 33 percent of referrals resulted in…