FWCS trustees hear special education update as district cites rising need and funding squeeze

Fort Wayne Community Schools trustees received a detailed report on the district’s special education services, including increases in identified students, expanded inclusion efforts and the use of an alternate diploma for students with the most significant disabilities.

District presenters (identified to the board as Jen Birning, director of special education; Rianne Fertil, assistant director; and Michelle Hoferacker, assistant director) said the district provides a wide range of supports — occupational and physical therapy, speech-language services, specialized teachers, instructional assistants and behavior specialists — and is using assessment results to plan instruction and expand postsecondary transition options for students ages 19–22.

Presenters described an alternate diploma pathway that the district said is a 40-unit program intended for students with significant disabilities; Fort Wayne staff reported increases in graduation rates for students participating in that pathway and said they track gains through alternate assessments. The district also said about 85% of special education students spend the majority of their school day in general education settings when appropriate.

Trustees and staff discussed the district’s role serving 41 nonpublic schools within its boundaries. Presenters said roughly 750 students in those schools receive special education services through consultation or direct support from the district, an average of about 18 students per nonpublic school, while noting the distribution varies widely by school size.

On funding, presenters said special education funding comes from federal grants, state allocations, Medicaid and the FWCS Education Fund but remains insufficient to cover program costs. A trustee noted that when Congress passed the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act it envisioned federal funding covering about 40% of special education costs; the trustee estimated the district is receiving well under that level today and said the board continues to advocate for increased federal support.

Board members asked about testing and high school assessments; presenters said high school students taking alternate assessments typically take ELA and math (usually during 10th grade) and a biology assessment as required. Trustees thanked the presenters for the report; there was no formal board action on the presentation itself.

Next steps: trustees said staff will continue to use assessment data to guide instruction and program design and to monitor funding developments that affect service delivery.