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District outlines special-education school planning; parents press for IDEA safeguards and clearer communications
Summary
District leaders described site visits, parent surveys and planning steps for a proposed special-education school (target 2027–28). Public commenters asked how placements will follow IEPs, what therapeutic supports will exist, and how the district will ensure inclusion and clear communications to all residents.
District leadership described preliminary plans to develop a district special-education school and emphasized that no programmatic changes will occur in the 2026–27 school year. Mr. Sitta said the district has held roughly 22 meetings, conducted site visits to county programs and surveyed parents; he identified about 144 in-district students who might benefit from a district placement and said there are roughly 118 students currently placed out of district. He said the district is targeting a 2027–28 launch and that any moves would be guided by IEP team decisions and parent consent.
Public commenters raised implementation and civil-rights concerns. Crystal Whitaker asked how the district will inform all 70,000 residents (including non-parent taxpayers) and how questions sent by email will be answered; district staff said materials will be posted on the website and town halls will be held. Lily Panella pressed the board on inclusion and compliance with IDEA, asked for details about therapeutic and medical supports and how small home-school class sizes would be handled. Mr. Sitta and Mrs. Webber responded that related services would remain available in home schools as appropriate and that parents would be consulted on any proposed moves. “This is not out of convenience. This is out of program and out of want and out of need,” Mr. Sitta said, referring to a planned district placement option.
