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Washington Township highlights special‑education expansion, reduced out‑of‑district placements and new evaluation tools
Summary
District officials told the board they have reduced reliance on out‑of‑district placements (from over 20 to a projected one next year), expanded in‑district programs and emphasized increased behavioral supports; the NJSBA field rep also walked the board through superintendent and board self‑evaluation tools and confidentiality requirements.
Washington Township’s board meeting featured two substantive presentations: a report on special‑education programming and a separate review of board and superintendent evaluation tools from the New Jersey School Boards Association.
Dr. Denise Scarpin (director of special education), presenting district special‑education data and program plans, said the share of students receiving special‑education services in the district has declined from about 16% to roughly 12.42%, which she described as a reflection of stronger general‑education supports and early intervention. She said New Jersey’s average is about 17% and the national average about 15% (figures presented as district comparisons). Scarpin said the district expanded in‑district offerings—life‑skills programming, language and learning disabilities (LLD) supports and integrated preschool—and emphasized a focus on keeping students in the least restrictive environment when appropriate.
Scarpin told the board that the district has reduced out‑of‑district placements from over 20 to a projected one for next year, a shift she described as both increasing peer access for students and producing cost savings. She also noted growing demand for behavior‑trained staff, one‑to‑one supports, functional communication systems (AAC devices) and related services.
Separately, Dr. Pierro, representing the New Jersey School Boards Association, presented the CSA (chief school administrator) evaluation tool and the board self‑evaluation platform. He reviewed timelines, the need to populate leadership and membership data in the NJSBA census (handled by the business administrator), the July 1 statutory timing for superintendent evaluation, confidentiality procedures (Rice notice for executive sessions), and how majority/minority compilation of ratings is recorded in the annual performance report. He emphasized the need to avoid discussing staff performance in public documents and recommended redactions where appropriate.
Technology staff also presented district technology initiatives that support both instruction and special‑education programming: STEAM lab integrations (3D printers, fabrication tools), an AI pilot at Long Valley Middle School, 90% deployment of BenQ interactive displays and touchscreen Chromebooks for grades 1–5. The technology team said they logged about 2,000 support tickets annually and intend to convert a temporary 0.5 technician role to permanent status.
What happens next: the board will use the NJSBA tools and timelines to inform upcoming evaluation cycles and will continue to monitor special‑education staffing and program implementation as enrollment and student needs evolve.
