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Mineola presents rising special-education caseload, highlights RISE successes and access initiatives
Summary
Pupil personnel services staff reported 480 in-district students with active IEPs, 35 out-of-district placements and described program growth (RISE classes), Apple-accessibility training and a new districtwide executive-functioning initiative to boost student independence.
Pupil personnel services staff told the Mineola Union Free School District board on Feb. 26 that the district currently has 480 students with active individualized education programs in-district and highlighted an increase in both classified students and 504 plans over the past five years.
"We currently have 480 students within our schools classified," said Kate Banella, who introduced the PPS presentation and staff. The presentation noted that figure excludes out-of-district placements, which the team said numbered 35 this year; three students were described as in residential placements.
Speakers described several district initiatives intended to both keep students in-district when appropriate and increase independence. The district said it is expanding RISE and self-contained classrooms and has invested in alternative curricula (referred to as Teachtown/Encore) that, the presenters said, produced measurable benchmark gains. Staff also described an Apple accessibility training program that taught teachers and therapists to use iPad features to help students access instruction independently.
PPS staff outlined the continuum of service from least to most restrictive settings and explained integrated co-teaching (ICT) and the high-school CT lab model, where certified content teachers hold a daily support period to reinforce IEP goals. The presenters said graduation and Regents pass rates for students with disabilities have improved under the district's model.
On statewide policy, presenters referenced the FAPE-related issue often called "FAPE2," saying the state's interpretation led to ambiguity over whether some students could be served through the end of the school year; speakers said advocates are seeking a legislative fix and estimated remediation costs statewide. The PPS team asked the board and community to continue advocacy to secure funding for extended services.
The presentation also highlighted a districtwide push to teach executive-functioning skills explicitly, embedding those skills in IEP goals and offering plain-language guides and workshops for families. Staff said they are translating materials into other languages and working with SEPTA and other partners to strengthen family engagement.
What's next: PPS staff said they will continue to refine staffing and program placements to match rising need, and they invited board members and families to review upcoming handbooks and one-page guides the department plans to publish.
