Nicole Triasi outlines special‑education continuum and proposed class‑ratio changes

Nicole Triasi, the district’s PPS presenter, told the Board of Education on March 9 that the district approaches special education as a continuum and is proposing several program changes to better match student needs.

Triasi used a ‘‘community aquatic center’’ analogy to explain how related services (speech, occupational and physical therapy, counseling) and instructional models work together so students can access general‑education curriculum. "Some students just have resource room, some students just have consultant teacher, some students have both," she said, describing pull‑out resource rooms and push‑in consultant‑teacher models that the district uses.

Triasi said most elementary students with IEPs spend the majority of their day in general education settings and that the district is planning specific ratio changes for 2026–27. "The K–1 special class that we currently have here at Cornwall Elementary School has a ratio of 15‑1‑1. Next year, we are looking to change that ratio to 12‑1‑2," she said. She also described proposed changes at Cornwall and Hudson elementary schools from a 12‑1‑4 model to an 8‑1‑3 model to better reflect incoming needs.

Triasi told the board the district will suspend the middle‑school "success" class next year because of low enrollment and instead expand community‑based instruction (CBI) at the high school to two sections. "We are going to suspend the success class next year, due to low enrollment and we will expand the community based instruction program at the high school to be offering two sections," she said.

On co‑teaching, Triasi said New York State audits and co‑teach model definitions influenced past changes: the district previously discontinued elementary co‑teach after an audit found students were being pulled out of co‑teach classes—an approach inconsistent with co‑teach models—so the district shifted to resource‑room and consultant‑teacher strategies. She reiterated the district’s legal obligations under federal FAPE (free and appropriate public education) and said program placements are reviewed annually in the student's IEP meeting.

Board members pressed on resources. Board member Christian said the district’s performance on an indicator survey warranted greater urgency and asked whether the administration had requested positions such as a psychologist and CSE chair. Triasi replied she had submitted requests and that a grant funded a CSE chair this year; she said the role had allowed longer intake meetings and proactive problem‑solving.

What’s next: The presentation outlined program‑level proposals and schedule implications (space, caseloads and staffing). Any final program changes will be reflected in staffing and budget documents that the administration brings to the board for approval.

Ending: Board discussion moved from the presentation into the budget presentation that followed on the evening’s agenda.