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Public commenters tell State Board special education system is in crisis; board hears call for better work conditions and standards
Summary
A veteran special education teacher told the State Board there is "a crisis in special education," citing shortages of certified teachers and unrealistic compliance demands that push districts to hire agency staff; board members and presenters discussed how evaluation and curriculum alignment affect special‑needs identification.
At the beginning of the State Board meeting a public commenter, Steven Skerra of Nashua, told the board "There's a crisis in special education," saying shortages of certified special education teachers force districts to rely on private agencies and that heavy compliance expectations for IEPs and evaluations create untenable workloads.
Skerra, who identified himself as certified in general special education and specific learning disabilities, described teachers facing disciplinary risk when caseloads and timelines are not met and said the system encourages shortcuts. He urged the state and districts to improve working conditions for special education teachers and to "restructure standards" so instruction can meet the needs of students who are not academically typical.
Board members thanked Skerra for his comments and several asked staff to follow up; one board member noted the importance of connecting evaluations and curricular alignment to avoid misidentification of students as needing special education due to gaps in general instruction.
The board did not take immediate action on the remarks but discussed how the Department's upcoming assessment and accountability briefing could help illuminate cohort effects and support reforms that reduce inappropriate labeling while ensuring compliance with federal and state requirements.
Next steps: board members invited department staff to bring assessment data and further analysis to the next meeting to help distinguish instructional alignment issues from true special education need.
