SED revises evaluation method for special education progress |
On Board Online • April 28, 2025
By Sara Foss
Special Correspondent
The State Education Department (SED) has a new process to evaluate special education to determine whether school districts are meeting their legal obligations and what level of state intervention will be needed during the 2025-26 school year.
The new methodology aligns with the criteria that the federal government uses to assess how well school districts are complying with the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).
SED calculates that 376 school districts meet IDEA requirements while 332 do not, according to data presented at the Board of Regents meeting.
"It's new for the districts to be viewed through this lens," said Christopher Suriano, associate commissioner for SED's Office of Special Education, who provided an overview of the new process at the April meeting of the state Board of Regents. "It is the current lens through which the state is viewed."
Each year, SED's Office of Special Education determines whether school districts are meeting requirements under the IDEA, whether they need assistance implementing these requirements and whether some form of state intervention is necessary. Previously, determinations were made using Every Student Succeeds Act data. That methodology was more subjective, Suriano said.
The new evaluation system includes a performance matrix with 18 indicators, such as graduation rates for students with disabilities. The state will also use a compliance matrix consisting of 10 indicators, such as the timeliness of due process hearings, to evaluate districts.
Compliance is defined as having a combined matrix score of 80% or higher. A third criterion that influences how the state will respond involves how many years the district has been out of compliance.
Districts in their first year needing assistance will receive professional development, for example. Those out of compliance for several years will be monitored by embedded personnel from the state's Special Education Quality Assurance's regional offices.
The new system will provide districts with targeted, specific information about areas they need to improve, Suriano said.
"Under the new system, superintendents will know: 'I lost points in the following specific areas, and now I need to work with the state to target my professional development and whatever resources are needed to really drive improvement,'" he said.
Regent Susan Mittler praised the new system, saying it was excellent. But she wondered whether it would be possible to implement it during a challenging budget time.
"I do have a concern about where the funding and the certified staffing comes from," Mittler said. "One of the big issues is being able to hire certified qualified teachers to work with this particular set of students, especially when they're integrated into the general classroom. It's wonderful to have the kids, but it means you need extra aides or support staff. Some of our districts just don't have the funds or the means, so it goes to the bottom of the list because there are so many other priorities. How do we provide that support?"
In response, Education Commissioner Betty Rosa said children with disabilities deserve the best, and schools must prioritize their education. "You can't think of these children as if they're less than," she said.
Regent Patrick Mannion observed that it's a time of anxiety for parents of children with disabilities, who might be concerned about the implications of the Trump administration's push to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education. "No matter what happens in Washington, the commitment the state has and that the Board of Regents has for students who need these services and the idea of equity, that all means all, continues," he said.
Under the IDEA, states are required to develop a State Performance Plan/Annual Performance Report describing their efforts to implement the IDEA and detailing steps toward improvement. These plans are updated every six years. The federal government uses data about school district compliance to determine whether states are meeting their obligations under IDEA.
View a PowerPoint on the new system at bit.ly/43QxsAF .
In another portion of the April meeting, the Board of Regents heard a presentation from three school districts - Peekskill City Schools, Public Schools of the Tarrytowns and the Ossining Union Free School District - about their regional approach to supporting postsecondary options for students with disabilities. The partnership, called Advancing College and Career Experiences for Student Success (ACCESS), emphasizes an expanded partnership with Westchester Community College (WCC).
ACCESS officially launches in September. The plan is for four students between the ages of 18 and 22 from each district to spend two hours each day, Monday through Friday, on the WCC campus, taking advantage of pre-employment services and attaining skills to help them transition to the workforce. Some might earn certificates that boost their employment prospects with local businesses.
"Collaborating across districts makes sense," said Mary Fox-Alter, superintendent in Ossining. "Students with special needs can excel when provided a unique opportunity." She added, "None of us could afford to do this ourselves."