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District special‑education report: high graduation rate but assessment and family‑survey gaps noted
Summary
A Smithfield presentation compared district and state special‑education indicators: a 95% graduation rate for students with disabilities (state 86%), 0% dropout rate, below‑state performance on several alternate and math assessments, an over‑1% rate of alternate-assessment eligibility (1.2%), and family survey favorable responses at 53% (state 72%).
A district presenter reviewed special‑education performance indicators for Smithfield on Feb. 26, telling the School Committee that the district outperformed the state on the graduation rate for students with disabilities but showed areas of concern on assessments and family satisfaction.
The presenter said Smithfield’s graduation rate for students with disabilities is 95% compared with a statewide rate of 86% and reported a 0% dropout rate for that cohort versus a state average of 4%. "There is a lag in the data because cohorts can be four‑ or five‑year based," the presenter said, noting the district disaggregates students with disabilities when comparing to statewide figures.
Assessment performance: the presenter said district students with disabilities are above the state average in some ELA measures but lag in math; the DLM (alternate assessment) showed no students meeting standard in some grades and the district’s share of students taking alternate assessments is about 1.2% (slightly above the typical under‑1% benchmark). The presenter noted the district’s small counts mean results are sensitive to small changes in student placement.
Family survey and other indicators: the presenter reported 108 families who identified as having a child with a disability completed the family survey and that 53% of those respondents gave a favorable rating compared with a statewide favorable rate of 72%. The presenter said survey mixing (some respondents may not have had a child with a disability) requires improved communication to ensure accurate responses.
Compliance and outcomes: the district reported 100% compliance with the 60‑day timeline for evaluations and said 79% of surveyed graduates were "meaningfully engaged" (college, trade program, or employment) one year after leaving high school. Suspension/expulsion indicators did not demonstrate disproportionality for students with disabilities.
Committee reaction: members asked for absolute student counts behind percentages and suggested the district provide comparable district data (e.g., East Greenwich, Lincoln) to make the percentages more meaningful. The presenter agreed to pull comparable district data on request.
Next steps: the presenter and committee agreed to improve outreach to families about survey instructions and to provide requested breakdowns to the committee in follow‑up materials.
