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Bexley City Schools presents external special-education review and an implementation plan
Summary
The district presented a comprehensive special-education review by the Educational Service Center of Central Ohio, outlined methodology (staff/family surveys, observations, time studies), highlighted variability in MTSS and staffing, and proposed immediate steps including creating an implementation committee and adding specialist positions.
The Bexley City School District presented the final report of a special-education review conducted by the Educational Service Center of Central Ohio and described immediate steps the district plans to take to address identified gaps.
Casey Cosgray, the district’s chief academic officer, summarized the review methodology and findings. The review used a mixed-methods approach—staff surveys (257 staff offered, 213 completed), family surveys, classroom observations aligned with the Ohio Teacher Evaluation System, focused time studies, and stakeholder interviews. Cosgray said the review found that while strong individual practices exist, variability in MTSS implementation across buildings, uneven role clarity for paraprofessionals, and workload issues limit consistent delivery of services.
Cosgray said the review’s key recommendations include developing a district-wide MTSS framework, workload-based staffing adjustments, expanding co-planning time, aligning instruction to evidence-based practices (the district’s “10 Markers of High Quality Instruction”), and improving communication and collaboration with families. The ESC aligned its year‑by‑year recommendations to the district’s strategic plan and proposed a committee to oversee implementation; the committee will include BEA vice-president Nate Meyer, intervention specialists, the new director of student services Dr. Amy White and other staff.
Board members asked detailed questions about near-term professional development, how co-planning time will be arranged under negotiated contracts, and whether caseloads and workloads would be reviewed ahead of the next budget and five-year forecast. Cosgray said the district has added an intervention specialist at Maryland and is adding paraprofessional support at the middle school, and that principals will use administrative-directed days to provide additional collaboration time. The district said it would continue to monitor workloads, and review caseloads as part of ongoing five-year forecasting.
Why it matters: the review identifies systemic inconsistencies that affect students with IEPs and 504 plans. The district tied the recommendations to concrete next steps—new committee, targeted hires, and PD—so implementation will be the immediate measure of progress for families who spoke during public comment.
Next steps: the board accepted the presentation, asked follow-up questions, and the superintendent said the district will continue implementing the ESC recommendations and convene a committee to operationalize the timeline and staffing changes.
