Outside review finds special education needs a reset

What happened

On May 20, 2026 administrators presented an outside diagnostic review (by EduSolve) of special education. It found over-centralized decision-making, an overloaded director, an uneven range of services, and weak links between IEPs and classroom teaching. It noted the district missed state targets on suspension and on placing students with general-education peers. It recommended resetting the department and a tiered support-to-schools model.

Why it matters to families

Special education is a large part of the district's work and budget, and families have raised IEP concerns at meetings. The review points to systems changes that could affect how services are decided and delivered.

The evidence

The May 20, 2026 slide deck lists the findings, state indicator targets not met, and recommendations such as defining roles and distributing leadership. The Sept. 21, 2026 minutes show the department's work was praised, and the Oct. 8 finance agenda lists a special-education risk assessment for a future meeting. The documents do not say which recommendations have been carried out.

The source