Knox County unveils five‑year special education plan, pledges audits and family surveys

The Knox County Board of Education heard a detailed presentation on Aug. 3 from special education director Dr. Carr and district staff about a new five‑year strategic plan called the PACT — Performance, Accountability, Collaboration, and Transitions — aimed at improving services and outcomes for students with individualized education programs (IEPs).

In the presentation Dr. Carr and staff described a district trend they called “a steep incline” in the number of students receiving specialized services: although total enrollment has fallen by about 1,100 students, the district has added roughly 1,300 IEPs — a shift the district said amounts to a roughly 15% increase in the percent of students served when adjusted for enrollment decline. "We want our students with disabilities progressing at the same level, advancing at the same level in math and English as their peers," Dr. Carr said, outlining targets for instruction, staff capacity, and system accountability.

The plan centers on five priority areas: excellence and foundational skills, building educator capacity, career empowerment and transition planning, improved family communication and engagement, and stronger systems for accountability. Staff said they will deploy pilots (a kindergarten instructional‑coherence pilot will expand to districtwide kindergarten this year, then roll up a grade level annually), institute regular IEP audits and feedback to schools, and launch an IEP experience survey for families so the district can mine trends and respond quickly.

Board members pressed for concrete measures and timelines. "You'll have data," Dr. Carr said when asked; he told the board the full plan with specific annual objectives and measurable targets will be presented in September after a final review with the Special Education Council. Parent advocates at the meeting urged quicker action and quarterly public updates: Courtney Piper of the Special Education Parent Council said the community needed urgency and more transparency, noting that "there are 9,000 special education students that need [leadership] now more than ever."

Next steps: staff will release the finalized objectives and action steps in September, convene the district's special education council on Aug. 10 for an advance review, and begin an informational campaign including trainings and principal touchpoints to support implementation.

Speakers quoted or referenced in this article are listed in the meeting roster; the board scheduled ongoing updates and public reporting as part of the implementation timeline.