Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Audit finds Vernon special-education classification rate near 25%; district outlines MTSS, IEP and inclusion reforms
Summary
A special-education audit presented Feb. 19 found Vernon’s IEP classification rate near 25%—above state and national averages—and recommended stronger tiered intervention, more consistent inclusion and clearer IEP-goal alignment. District leaders said they will pursue professional development, scheduling changes and data-driven goals to reduce unnecessary pullouts.
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…
Already have an account? Log in
Subscribe to keep reading
Unlock the rest of this article — and every article on Citizen Portal.
- Unlimited articles
- AI-powered breakdowns of topics, speakers, decisions, and budgets
- Instant alerts when your location has a new meeting
- Follow topics and more locations
- 1,000 AI Insights / month, plus AI Chat
