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Special‑education team reports sensory‑room rollouts and cyclical monitoring; board discusses audit options
Summary
Amanda provided special‑education updates including sensory‑room installations expected before winter break, a parent webinar and a Jan. 10 parent‑survey deadline. Board members renewed discussions about whether to pursue an enhanced special‑education audit or targeted monitoring.
The committee heard an update on special education services, supports and monitoring from Amanda (special‑education supervisor) and colleagues.
Amanda said the district's first student‑services newsletter was distributed in November and that sensory‑room equipment has been ordered and mostly delivered; contractor meetings indicate rooms at Richborough and Solfinestone elementary schools are expected to be completed before the holiday break. She announced a parent webinar on IEP development scheduled for Monday at 7 p.m. and said the parent survey tied to cyclical monitoring will have a Jan. 10 deadline with reminder emails every two weeks.
On audits and monitoring, Amanda reported outreach to PDE and the intermediate unit about monitoring options and said PDE does not provide the type of "enhanced monitoring" the board asked about; the intermediate unit can provide targeted monitoring for discrete programs (for example, a speech program). Board members raised the cost question for third‑party audits and noted that published figures from other districts sometimes bundle audit recommendations and implementation costs with the audit itself.
Board members also asked for deeper analysis of monthly settlement payments (why they occur, which schools/cases) as a place to start if the district considers more targeted reviews. Amanda said staff can categorize settlements and return with that information.
No formal action was taken; the board left the audit discussion open for future committee work and follow up from administration on categorizing settlements and exploring monitoring options.
