Board reviews Special Education Action Plan with measurable goals on progress monitoring and inclusion
Get AI-powered insights, summaries, and transcripts
Subscribe
Summary
District special education leaders presented a K–12 action plan targeting a 3–5% performance gain by 2026, increased progress monitoring and expanded supports including AAC devices; board members asked about teacher training, student involvement in IEPs and general-education integration.
The Ossining Union Free School District’s special education team presented a K–12 Special Education Action Plan for 2025–26 focused on compliance, instructional enhancements, data literacy and family engagement.
Dr. McGahn (identified in the presentation as the elementary director of special education) and Ms. Jean Grandy (Director of Secondary Student Support Services) described two overarching goals: (1) strengthen instruction and IEP practices so students show measurable academic growth and (2) ensure special education teachers use performance data to plan effective instruction. The presenters said the district’s target is a 3–5% increase in overall performance on Regents exams and New York State assessments for students with diverse learning needs by the end of 2026. "The New York State assessments have shown we've done a deep dive, and our students are seeing an increase of approximately 2% every year," one presenter said when explaining the 3–5% target.
Staff reported a rise in the number of students served (from 612 last year to 710 this year) and a modest decrease in out-of-district placements (from 57 to 51), which presenters credited to expanded in-district programs. The plan calls for 100% of teachers to regularly collect progress-monitoring data, 90% of IEP goals to have clear aligned measurements, and a high rate of professional development on augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) devices (presenters cited a 95–100% teacher participation target for AAC training).
Board members asked about when students begin participating in their IEP meetings; presenters said the district targets fifth grade for informal student involvement and that students are required to receive invitations starting at age 14, with formal transition planning beginning at age 15. Trustees also pressed for clarity on how general-education teachers will be engaged; presenters said teacher leaders, coordinators and PLCs will bridge training and that the district will explore expanding PD to general-education staff where possible.
No formal vote was required on the presentation itself. Staff asked for board support and said they would continue implementing the action steps and report progress back to the board.