Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Special Education topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Special education director: in‑district testing and school transition work aim to reduce costs
Summary
Special Education Director reported largely stable caseloads, described a new collaboration between middle and high schools to strengthen student transitions, and said performing testing for some outplaced students within the district will save money; she will provide counts of Magnet students and related billing details.
Special Education Director Ms. Fenech told the Ansonia Board on March 11 that the department’s overall numbers have not shifted significantly but highlighted steps to improve transitions and reduce external placement costs.
Ms. Fenech described a recent collaboration between the high school and middle school intended to strengthen student transitions between those grades. She also said the district is bringing some testing services for previously outplaced students back in-house, using district staff to reduce the expense of external providers. Ms. Fenech said she chairs meetings with Magnet, charter and private schools and will provide the Board with counts showing how many Ansonia students attend Magnet schools and how many of those students receive special education services.
Board members asked follow-up questions about whether the district is being billed by external schools for services; Ms. Fenech said such billing occurs depending on students’ needs, and Superintendent DiBacco confirmed that most outside schools bill the district when they provide services the district cannot staff locally.
The plan to use district staff for additional testing was presented as a cost-saving measure; the director did not present a dollar estimate in the public minutes and said she will furnish the Board with detailed counts and clarifications.
Next steps: Ms. Fenech will provide the requested counts and any further financial detail at a future meeting.
