Chair walks board through 'RAP' approach for responding to special education concerns

The Morgan County Board of Education opened its work session with a training on the board’s role in special education, emphasizing two responsibilities: advocacy and response. The Chair told members the board must both advocate for a philosophy of belonging and respond to constituent concerns using a structured script.

The Chair introduced an acronym, RAP, to guide constituent interactions: “the r stands for reflect. The a stands for assure, and the p stands for propose,” the Chair said. The training included cautions for board members: do not indicate agreement or disagreement during reflective statements, avoid promising district actions when assuring parents, and refer parents to the IEP team rather than making program decisions on behalf of the team.

Why it matters: the board framed RAP as a tool to improve communication and limit legal exposure while ensuring families feel heard. The Chair recommended that board members follow the chain of command—case manager, then building principal—and then check back with the constituent after those steps were taken.

The training concluded with board members practicing the prompts and reminders that advocacy includes ensuring leadership and staff live the district’s philosophy of belonging.