Wake Schools Revamps Support for Students with Disabilities

Wake Schools Revamps Support for Students with Disabilities

4:30 PM   

Major Reorganization of Special Education Services in Wake County

The Wake County Public School System is undergoing significant changes to its approach to supporting students with disabilities. These changes, which the school board has described as long overdue, aim to address longstanding issues that have affected both families and staff.

One of the key components of the reorganization includes increasing staff training, creating more defined roles for employees, improving data analysis, and offering greater support to schools when cases become complex. Families may notice shifts in which school employees are responsible for their children's needs, and staff could report to new individuals within the system.

These changes come three years after a report from an education consulting firm highlighted major problems with staff training, unclear job roles, and communication challenges with parents. Despite the findings, the district did not begin making changes until this year.

The reorganization has already started, with further adjustments planned over the next school year. The district serves approximately 20,000 students with disabilities, but it has struggled with staffing shortages, including around 70 vacant special education teaching positions and 80 vacant instructional assistant positions during the previous school year. Additionally, the district has faced high-profile legal complaints, including a 2023 settlement related to the restraint and seclusion of a child, as well as the assault conviction of a former teacher whose concerns had been raised by parents months before the school system reported the incident to police.

Some cases have led to the district covering tuition costs for families who choose to send their children to private schools. Parents have also reported difficulties in meeting with educators, untrained staff, excessive discipline, and delayed evaluations, among other issues.

Last fall, district officials acknowledged the need for change to reduce complaints, including those filed with state or federal agencies. During the 2023-24 school year, the district failed to meet the required 90-day timeline for providing services to students referred to special education 42% of the time, according to Lisa Allred, the district’s new assistant superintendent for special education services.

Allred, who joined the district last year, is leading efforts to analyze data and identify areas where the district is falling short. She has formed a group that is working with staff from the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction to gather insights and improve performance.

Parent Engagement and Communication

Board Member Toshiba Rice noted that interest in these changes is growing among parents, and she can now provide updates and explain how the district plans to help. Other board members, such as Tyler Swanson, a former Enloe High special education teacher, have pushed for more involvement from regular education teachers in individualized education planning and data analysis.

Swanson suggested the addition of a case manager in every school to help reduce teacher workloads, particularly for less-experienced staff. He emphasized that high turnover in special education is partly due to this issue. While Allred supports the case-manager model, she noted that the district currently cannot afford to implement it fully.

Federal Changes and State Legislation

The district’s reorganization is taking place against the backdrop of potential federal changes to special education oversight. The Trump administration plans to transfer responsibility for special education to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, which could impact how the district operates.

In North Carolina, legislation to remove funding caps for students with disabilities has stalled in the state General Assembly. Meanwhile, the Wake County changes focus on restructuring special education services, including clearer roles for staff and improved training.

Officials plan to update job descriptions later this summer to reflect the new responsibilities, ensuring that all employees understand their nonnegotiable duties. Allred will also meet with principals in September to train them on leading more effective individualized education plan (IEP) meetings.

Addressing Disparities and Discipline

The district is also working to reduce the overrepresentation of Black students in the "emotional disturbance" category, which often leads to higher suspension rates. Nationally, students with disabilities are suspended at higher rates than any other group, and in Wake County, they face suspensions more than three times as often as the average student.

Parents have reported that their children are sometimes sent home without formal suspensions, a practice that disability rights advocates say should not occur. This pattern is part of a larger national trend.

Recommendations from Education Consultants

In 2021, the district contracted with District Management Group, a Boston-based education consulting firm, to evaluate its special education services. In July 2022, the firm identified many of the same issues that the current reorganization aims to solve, including unclear roles, inconsistent staff knowledge, and communication problems.

The firm found that a lack of defined roles and responsibilities created significant challenges in resolving issues. It recommended improving parent engagement, providing clearer online information, enhancing staff training, and formalizing assessment processes.

DMGroup described the district’s problem-solving process as overly informal and ad hoc, with different outcomes depending on the school, issue, and personnel involved. It proposed a simplified five-step process for addressing issues: identifying the problem, investigating it, holding a meeting, making a decision, and monitoring the resolution.

Regular evaluation of recurring problems to prevent future issues was also recommended. These steps are now being considered as part of the ongoing reorganization.

Students Face 'Qualifications Gap' in Post-16 Education – Report

Students Face 'Qualifications Gap' in Post-16 Education – Report

6:01 AM   

The Growing Concern Over Post-16 Education Pathways

A growing concern is emerging among education and employer groups about the potential impact of government policies on post-16 education. A recent report highlights that tens of thousands of students could face a “qualifications gap” if funding for certain vocational qualifications is reduced or withdrawn. This issue has raised alarms about the future pathways available to young people, especially in areas where technical courses may not be widely adopted.

The report, led by the Protect Student Choice campaign, warns that limiting student choices for post-16 qualifications could reverse progress in expanding access to higher education. It also suggests that this could result in more young people being left without employment opportunities. The coalition, which includes organizations representing students and staff in schools and colleges, is urging the curriculum and assessment review to reconsider the ban on applied general qualifications (AGQs) and extended diplomas within T-level areas.

AGQs are Level 3 qualifications that provide students with a broad study of specific vocational areas. These include BTecs, which have been essential for many students aiming to pursue further education or skilled employment. In December, the Labour Government announced that 157 vocational qualifications, previously planned for removal by the previous administration, would remain funded until they can be reformed. This decision aims to ensure stability for students and institutions during the transition period.

Following a review of Level 3 qualifications that overlap with T-levels, the government has decided to fund 57 qualifications in digital, construction, and health and science until July 2026. An additional 100 qualifications in engineering, agriculture, business, and creative fields will retain their funding until July 2027. These decisions reflect an effort to maintain a diverse range of educational options for students.

T-level courses, which are considered equivalent to three A-levels, were first introduced in 2020 in England and are being rolled out gradually. However, Department for Education (DfE) guidance published in February outlines plans to remove funding from “large qualifications” in various T-level subject areas in the future. This has sparked concerns about the long-term implications for students and educational institutions.

An analysis by the Protect Student Choice campaign indicates that removing funding for AGQs in health and science could lead to 52,000 fewer students studying these subjects each year. Similarly, nearly 11,000 fewer students might opt for digital courses annually. The report also highlights that over 200,000 students are currently enrolled in AGQs that are either being phased out or have an uncertain future. This uncertainty makes it challenging for colleges and schools to plan their curricula, recruit staff, and provide guidance to younger pupils.

The report warns that the government’s blanket ban on diplomas and extended diplomas could create a significant qualifications gap, leaving many students without suitable pathways. Gareth Snell, a Labour MP and chairman of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Sixth Form Education, emphasizes the importance of AGQs in helping students progress to higher education or skilled employment. He argues that limiting qualification choices to T-levels could leave some young people without viable options at age 16 and hinder employers from finding the skilled workforce they need.

Professor Martin Green, chief executive of Care England, underscores the value of qualifications like the diploma and extended diploma in health and social care. These qualifications are seen as a crucial pathway for introducing younger people to careers in social care. Scrapping them could worsen the workforce crisis in the care sector, particularly for younger populations.

Anne Murdoch, a college leadership adviser at the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL), urges the government to retain these popular and valued applied general qualifications. While supporting the introduction of T-levels, she questions why other well-established vocational qualifications must be sacrificed. At a time when more young people are not in education, employment, or training, providing a range of post-16 pathways is essential to avoid narrowing options and exacerbating existing challenges.

A DfE spokeswoman emphasized the department’s commitment to building a skills system that drives opportunity and supports economic growth. T-levels are positioned as a key component of the technical education offer, alongside newly reformed qualifications set to be available in the next academic year. These qualifications are designed to align with occupational standards and provide clear pathways to higher education or skilled employment. The DfE will soon outline further plans for reforming Level 3 qualifications, informed by an independent curriculum and assessment review.