Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Special Education T2 topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Parents and some board members criticize Williamson County Schools'Transition 2 pilot for lack of stakeholder input
Summary
Parents and several board members pressed district leaders at the May 18 school board meeting over a Transition 2 pilot that would cluster programs and shift students; critics said families and teachers were not meaningfully included and asked the board to pause or revise the rollout.
Members of the public and multiple board members confronted district leaders May 18 over a pilot program for the district's Transition 2 (T2) services, saying the plan was implemented without adequate stakeholder input and that the district's proposals risked disrupting services for vulnerable students.
"When leadership's plan leaves everyone asking what the heck Transition 2 is, it proves exactly why this program requires a comprehensive, transparent, and inclusive analysis involving all affected constituencies," said parent Melissa Hogan, who said the district began scheduling emergency IEP meetings after media coverage and offered parents confused, incomplete options rather than a clear plan.
Several board members expressed formal opposition to the pilot as described to the board. "If you don't want to stop it and try to do change management, then I respectfully ask that you choose another board member's district, because I can't support it in the way it's been implemented," said Dr. Johnson, a board member who urged postponement and broader stakeholder meetings. Board member Mister Bostick said multiple T2 teachers, aides and parents he spoke with oppose the pilot and he called the rollout a "debacle".
Superintendent Jason Golden and district special-education staff defended the goals of the pilot as an effort to improve post-school job outcomes and to consolidate services so teachers can better differentiate instruction. Golden said the special-education team identified opportunities to increase students' time at job sites and focus teacher expertise but acknowledged the district's communication with parents "wasn't there" and said the district will continue to work on personalization and family engagement.
Administrators described the pilot as a limited, data-informed effort rather than a permanent consolidation. Golden said the district had begun follow-up meetings with principals and planned additional stakeholder conversations; he also agreed to explore polling teachers and to consider additional opportunities for parents and staff to participate in ongoing planning.
The board discussion did not result in a formal vote to halt the pilot. Several board members requested more detailed documentation, including the list of meetings the administration relied on in making the decision and a plan for grandfathering students who choose to remain at their current schools.
The superintendent and special-education staff said the district aims to strike a balance between improving post-school outcomes and preserving individualized IEP services; they acknowledged that some implementation decisions need clearer communication and that additional stakeholder engagement will be scheduled.
What happens next: board members asked administration to organize stakeholder meetings, consider a teacher poll, and provide additional detail about how the pilot will affect individual IEP placements and transportation. The board indicated it will continue oversight as the pilot proceeds.
