District 128 special‑services director outlines inclusion gains, calls for clearer outcome metrics

Kelly Hartweg, director of special services for Community High School District 128, told the board on Jan. 27 that the district has expanded inclusive supports and co‑teaching models at the high‑school level and now serves roughly 12 percent of students (about 375) through individualized education plans (IEPs).

"Inclusive facilitation is really about coaching," Hartweg said, describing a model that places learning‑behavior specialists in general‑education classrooms to help teachers implement accessibility strategies. She said the district recently became fully staffed in special education "for the first time since 2020," a milestone she linked to improved service delivery.

Hartweg stressed that access is one measure of success: "nearly a little over 64" percent of students with IEPs access the general‑education environment for at least 80 percent of their day, which she called a high rate for a high‑school setting. She also cited district rankings showing students with IEPs in the district perform near the top of state comparisons in English, math and science for their subgroup.

But some board members pressed for outcome data beyond placement. One board member said the memo was "light on the outcome metrics" and asked how the district is measuring whether students who are placed in co‑taught or facilitated classes are learning at expected rates. Hartweg said the district has those data and offered to deliver them at a future meeting; she also said co‑taught students are performing "as well or sometimes better than the single taught sections."

Hartweg highlighted an ongoing tension between federal funding expectations and reality, citing the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act: "the federal government should provide $400 of that" for every $1,000 spent on a student (referring to the IDEA's 40 percent funding target), but said actual federal contributions have historically been closer to 12–14 percent, increasing pressure on local and state resources.

Board members asked follow‑up questions about MTSS fidelity, the district's referral rates for special‑education evaluations (Hartweg said referrals have dropped and offered to provide the specific numbers) and how the district handles sections that exceed the 30 percent IEP guideline for co‑taught classes. Hartweg described a staffing and reporting process that notifies the state when a section deviates from the 30 percent target and explained how scheduling realities can produce temporary variances.

The board asked Hartweg to return with more explicit outcome metrics and MTSS fidelity measures. The board then proceeded to its consent agenda and subsequent votes.