Parents press board for data on special-education model; administration pledges review and presentation

Multiple trustees and a group of parents used the June 26 meeting to press the district for a written and visual analysis of the collaborative consultative model the district uses for special-education services at the middle- and high-school levels.

Board member Mrs. Zakiri asked for specific documentation: a pictographic comparison showing how much time a special-education teacher spends in-class under the collaborative consultative model versus a dedicated integrated-special-education teacher model, evidence of any cost savings since the model's adoption, and statistics on how many students access "all-room" support and how many questions are answered during those sessions.

Administration response: Dr. Feltry and special-education staff told the board they will compile the requested data. Dr. Feltry said work will take place over the summer and promised a timeline; she committed to providing a date for a briefing by mid-July and a fuller presentation in the fall. "The data analysis you're seeking is summer work; we'll pull the metrics and bring a presentation back to the board and public," Dr. Feltry said.

Why it matters: parents and trustees said the change from more staffed resource rooms to a collaborative consultative model affects student access to specialized instruction, and they want empirical measures of effectiveness, access and equity before broader implementation decisions are finalized.

Next steps: administration will pull historical staffing and service data (2021'25) and report back with metrics, pictographic visuals, and documented comparisons of staffing and service delivery models; the special-education office will respond to specific questions about student tracking, usage of all-room supports and whether Mountainside (a sending district) students require extra supports upon arrival at Governor Livingston High School.