Audit finds Vernon special-education classification rate near 25%; district outlines MTSS, IEP and inclusion reforms

Vernon Township Board of Education — Feb. 19, 2026 — A consultant presentation to the Vernon Township Board of Education on Thursday concluded that the district’s special‑education practices show strengths but need systematic changes to reduce overclassification and increase student access to general‑education instruction.

The audit, performed by NJ All In and presented by Russell Fay, found that nearly 25 percent of Vernon students had individualized education programs (IEPs), a classification rate the consultants said is higher than the state average (about 17 percent) and the national average (about 15 percent). "So you can see we're we're at nearly 25 classification rate," Fay said during the presentation, adding that a high share of referred students are ultimately classified: "96 percent of our students that are referred end up being classified." The audit attributed that pattern in part to inconsistent Tier‑2 supports and a district practice that sometimes moves directly from difficulty to classification.

Why it matters: The audit's central finding — that some students are classified in the absence of consistent intervention — carries instructional and budget implications because IEPs trigger regulated services and out‑of‑class placements that affect staffing and spending.

What the audit found and recommended - MTSS/Tier‑2 inconsistency: The audit identified variable implementation of multi‑tiered systems of support across buildings. Auditors said some schools lacked targeted interventions that could prevent premature classification. - Inclusion and co‑teaching: Observed co‑teaching and inclusive models exist, but practice and expectations vary by building. The report urged consistent co‑teaching models and professional development so two adults in a classroom maximize learning for all students. - IEP quality and alignment: Auditors found IEPs were generally compliant with timelines but sometimes misaligned: goals, present levels and service delivery did not always map to the instructional data in a way that shows progress toward curriculum standards. - Paraprofessionals and related services: The audit noted instances where aides created student dependency and recommended independence goals in IEPs; it also recommended delivering more related services (speech, OT, PT) in the classroom to preserve instructional time and generalization opportunities.

The audit also highlighted strengths: committed staff, promising co‑teaching partnerships and strong unified programs the district can build on.

District response and next steps Superintendent Ebony DeMendez and the audit lead described a multi‑year response. "We are using this audit as a roadmap," Fay said. District leaders said they have already contracted for targeted professional development with AIR and NJ All In, convened building MTSS committees and begun developing year‑one action plans. Specific commitments include: - Embedding data use in IEP teams so present levels directly inform goals and services. - Creating independence goals for students with aide support; the child study team reported about 30 students to date had reduced aide levels based on data. - Increasing "push‑in" delivery for related services; the district said it already uses a mixed delivery model (the presentation described a current "3‑to‑1" practice where three sessions are pull‑out and one is in‑class). - Scheduling changes next school year to create explicit intervention periods at middle and high school levels.

Budget and implementation implications Administrators said much of the initial work will be achieved through reallocation and targeted professional development rather than large new line items. DeMendez said the district will use some grant funding and district PD days to support staff training. Board members and administrators also noted potential budget impacts tied to implementation timelines and the broader budget environment, which administrators called "a difficult budget year" because of rising benefit and contract costs.

What happens next District CST (child study team) committees are writing action plans in response to the findings; district leaders expect to fold the special‑education action plan into the district’s five‑year strategic plan and to report progress to the board. The administration said the board will receive more specific action plans and associated budget requests as part of the upcoming budget cycle and strategic‑plan review.