CPAC survey prompts North Reading to create special‑education guide, expand family outreach

Members of the Special Education Parent Advisory Council (CPAC) briefed the School Committee on a year of outreach, a caregiver survey and next steps for family resources.

CPAC representatives said their survey reached roughly 66 parents representing about 90 students with Individualized Education Programs, and respondents commonly praised special‑education teachers while reporting inconsistent implementation of IEPs in general‑education classrooms. The survey surfaced requests for simpler, district‑specific materials explaining acronyms, the IEP process and what to expect at meetings.

District staff described work with CPAC to create a "North Special Education Guide" tailored to how North Reading implements state regulations — a resource meant to clarify who attends which meetings, where to find forms, and how to follow up. The administration said the guide is not intended to replace legal rights but to help families prepare for team meetings; it aims to be posted to the district website this summer.

CPAC also described outreach activities planned for the coming year — town day, National Night Out, book‑club events and webinars — and encouraged families to contact the CPAC email for peer support. District leaders said they have received aggregated survey data and will use it to consider targeted professional development for general‑education teachers and to improve communication about existing PD offerings.

The committee and CPAC discussed potential next steps including sharing aggregated survey results with parents, identifying general‑education classrooms that could model best practices, and making professional development more visible to families. The committee asked administrators to return with copies of the guide when it is posted.