Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Special Education topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Levy County School Board hears disability-awareness update: about 20% of students on IEPs, expanded work-based learning
Summary
At a regular meeting, district staff presented special-education data and program updates including IEP prevalence, new inclusive scheduling pilots, paraprofessional training, and a weekly work‑based learning program that places 18 students at local employers.
At its meeting, the Levy County School Board received an update on disability awareness and exceptional student education from Marcy Young, who said the district’s most recent counts show “we're right at about 20 percent of our kids have IEPs.”
The presentation summarized primary exceptionality categories, program compliance and local initiatives. Marcy Young said specific learning disabilities constitute the largest category, autism spectrum disorder represents nearly 10 percent of students with IEPs, and the district currently lists only two students with traumatic brain injury and one student identified as dually sensory‑impaired.
Young described several district efforts aimed at inclusion and transition to adulthood. Three schools participated this year in inclusive‑scheduling reviews with the Florida Inclusion Network and have added push‑in support for students. The district also expanded paraprofessional professional learning, hosting an annual paraprofessional training during preplanning that Young said has drawn about 70 to 80 paras in recent years.
On transition and work readiness, Young highlighted a weekly work‑based learning program led by Kyle Benzie that places 18 students at roughly six local job sites. Employers named during the presentation include Manatee Springs, Ace Hardware, Williston Bridal Group (WAG), The Children’s Table, Binder’s Keepers and Sun Silk Florals. Young said the program has been “a real successful program” and discussed plans to recognize participating employers.
Young told the board the district meets state monitoring expectations overall and reported 100 percent compliance on transition IEPs for monitored students, with no corrective actions presently open. She said the district continues to self‑assess transition IEPs (for students age 16 and older) each year.
Board members praised classroom programs that feed into district services and asked no substantive follow‑up questions at the meeting. The superintendent and other staff encouraged trustees and the public to visit model classrooms to observe inclusive practices in person.
The presentation provided data points and program names rather than new policy proposals; the board did not take formal action on these items at the meeting.
