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Special services report: IEP numbers, evaluations rise; single wheelchair‑capable van limits vocational access
Summary
Director Dawn Gresham reported IEP enrollment rose to about 1,542 by Nov. 1, gifted identification is 170 and 504 accommodations total 355; she said the program’s single 4‑seat, wheelchair‑capable van restricts community vocational experiences and increases staff and transportation costs.
Dr. Dawn Gresham, director of special services, presented the department’s fall board report on Nov. 24, describing service levels and operational constraints for Derby’s special‑education programs.
Gresham said the district served about 1,530 students with IEPs earlier in the fall and was "up to 1,542" by Nov. 1. She reported 170 students identified for gifted services and 355 students receiving 504 accommodations. The department also recorded an increase in evaluations: 295 evaluations in 2021–22 and 459 last year; this year’s reevaluations numbered 282 so far, and evaluations have increased for four consecutive years.
Gresham told the board that Project Life, the district’s vocational experience program, operates with one 4‑seat van that also accommodates one wheelchair, limiting the district’s ability to transport multiple students to community vocational sites simultaneously. Using a bus for those trips requires a driver and raises costs, Gresham said, and board members asked whether other district vehicles might be available for daytime use. Administrators said many district vans are checked out for athletics and field trips, which constrains availability for vocational programming.
Gresham outlined staff‑driven goals focused on elevating staff voice, clarity in IEP documentation and service alignment to improve instructional outcomes. She said the department plans additional professional development for principals and assistant principals on supervising special‑education implementation and will present its service‑alignment work at a statewide special‑education conference.
Board members thanked Gresham for the report and followed up with questions about van utilization and opportunities to expand community internships for students with disabilities.
