Parent tells Cinnaminson board IEP inclusion time was overstated, urges transparency

Scott Nowicki of 830 Hilltop Road told the Cinnaminson Township School District board during public comment that his son's Individualized Education Program overstated how much time the student spends included with general-education peers.

"When I noticed the discrepancy, I did what any reasonable parent would do. I asked for the details of the calculation. I asked how the district arrived at that number, and I explained why it did not match my son's actual daily schedule," Nowicki said. He described a sequence of shifting explanations from district staff — from software issues to passing-time assumptions — and said no one took ownership of the inputs used to produce the placement description.

Nowicki urged the board to take three specific steps: ensure placement descriptions reflect students' actual daily experiences, require transparent and verifiable calculations that parents can review, and make clear that accountability for accuracy rests with district leadership rather than software or deflection. He said district administrators, including the case manager, the director of special services and the superintendent, had been copied on communications but that documentation has not been produced.

The comment raised questions about the accuracy of district reporting used for state compliance and public information. Board members did not produce on-the-record documentation during the meeting; the board moved into executive session later in the evening and approved additional business after returning to public session.

What comes next: Nowicki asked for the board to address the three items he listed; the record shows no immediate resolution on the floor during public comment. Meeting minutes and any follow-up from the superintendent or director of special services will be the next sources to check for administrative responses and documentation.