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Manatee County presents ESE update: 16% of students served, IDEA funds exceed $16.6 million
Summary
Director Joshua Bennett told the school board the district serves roughly 16% of students with disabilities (about 8,600), highlighted steady graduation improvements and compliance on alternative assessments under 1%, and said IDEA/Bridal funds for special education topped $16.6 million (including roll-forward funds).
Joshua Bennett, the district's director of Exceptional Student Education, told the Manatee County School Board on April 28 that students with disabilities make up about 16% of enrollment, roughly 8,600 learners, and that the district's staffing and supports are aligned to that need.
Bennett said the district's ESE services follow the Individual with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and the district uses a multi-tiered system of supports to target academic and behavioral interventions. He told trustees the district remains a state model for keeping the proportion of students on alternative assessments below 1%, in line with federal guidance.
On funding, Bennett said Bridal/IDEA grant funds —exceeded $16,600,000,— including roll-forward dollars that support therapies, assistive technology, paraprofessionals and specialized staffing. He also described career-transition programs such as Project Edge, which gives students with intellectual disabilities hands-on postsecondary experience at Manatee Technical College.
Board members pressed for clarity on assessment categories and gifted services. Bennett clarified that gifted teachers are managed within the department, and that the district's gifted allocation model varies by grade level and site. He said ongoing professional learning, nursing support and partnerships with community agencies underpin the ESE improvements the presentation highlighted.
Bennett closed by urging continued board support for ESE staffing and collaboration so students with disabilities can make meaningful progress.
What happens next: Trustees thanked Bennett and his team; the board did not take formal action on ESE funding at the meeting but the presentation will inform upcoming budget and program decisions.
