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District reports 2,165 exceptional children and outlines MTSS and behavioral supports
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Summary
District Instructional Support Services presented MTSS and Exceptional Children (EC) program updates, reporting it serves "over 2,160" EC students (stated 2,165), outlining a data-driven approach to reduce overidentification and stressing training, SEB teams, and monthly reporting to state entities.
The Rockingham County Instructional Support Services team presented a detailed update on multi-tiered supports and services for students with disabilities, saying the district serves "over 2,160 students," and outlining steps to tighten data collection and interventions.
Doctor Corcoran introduced the report and turned the presentation to Miss Wilson, the MTSS coordinator, who summarized MTSS as a district-wide school improvement framework across academics, social-emotional learning, behavior and attendance. "MTSS is a school improvement framework...it covers 6 critical components and 4 essential elements," Miss Wilson said, adding the district recently completed a facilitated assessment (FAMD) and reported past-year implementation measures.
Doctor Norton, speaking for the Exceptional Children department, enumerated the EC caseload and services: "So we serve over 2,160 students. I say over 2,160 because right now we're at 2,165." She provided primary-category counts in broad terms: roughly 700 with specific learning disabilities, 413 primary autism, 398 speech impairment only, 40 moderate intellectual disability, 16 multiple disabilities, 12 hearing impairment, with some categories listed as fewer than 10 and withheld to avoid identifiability.
Presenters emphasized a district data warehouse and monthly submissions to state reporting entities (including a Center for Safer Schools process) to streamline risk-assessment numbers and to support SEB teams that meet monthly, a legislatively required practice. Doctor Norton warned that historic overidentification spiked around COVID but said current practices are intended to avoid new overidentification; she added that exiting a student from EC requires data that "supports that this child is no longer eligible because of x, y, and z." The presenters also described Functional Behavioral Assessments and behavior intervention plans, and named community partners (Stepping Stones) for clinical assessment and wraparound services.
Board members questioned how quickly disruptive students can move from classroom interventions to deeper supports; presenters described the teacher's role in documentation, PLC/SEB referral, and the use of FBAs when data indicate a need. Staff spoke about training plans, onboarding for new teachers, EC audits and professional development sessions for EC and general education staff.
The presentation concluded with staff offering continued monitoring and training; no formal board action was taken during the presentation portion, but members requested follow-up details and signaled support for continuing the MTSS and EC work.
