Board of Education Hosts Special Ed Conversation

Westport’s Board of Education is holding a community conversation on Wednesday, May 20, about a planned review of the district’s special education program, according to Westport Public Schools and the town’s meeting calendar. The special meeting is set for 7 p.m. in the Staples High School Library Classrooms. District officials said they want public input as they prepare to retain a third-party consultant to conduct the review. They also said the discussion is meant to focus on districtwide programs, services and practices rather than individual student cases. ### When and where is the meeting? Wednesday’s meeting is listed by the town as a “Board of Education Special Meeting - REVISED” beginning at 7 p.m. on May 20. The location is Staples High School Library Classrooms in Westport, according to the town calendar and a district news post published May 18. The Westport Public Schools notice described the event as the board’s “next Community Conversation,” focused on the Special Education Program Review. (westportps.org) The town’s agenda page also lists a regular Board of Education meeting for Thursday, May 21, at 7 p.m. ### What are officials asking residents to weigh in on? Westport Public Schools said the board is seeking community input on the selection of a third-party consultant. (westportct.gov) The district said residents can comment on “what qualities, experience, and approach would make the review most effective and responsive to the community’s needs.” The district said the review’s purpose is to identify “actionable opportunities for improvement” across the special education program as a whole. (westportps.org) Officials said board members and administrators cannot discuss matters involving individual students because of student privacy laws, and they asked families to frame comments around districtwide issues instead. ### Why is Westport reviewing special education now? April 23 board materials outlined a plan for a comprehensive review of Westport’s special education program in the 2026-27 school year, according to Westport Journal’s account of that meeting. Assistant Superintendent Michael Rizzo said in a memo presented to the board that the goal is to ensure the district’s special education programs are “aligned, effective, and producing meaningful outcomes for students, now and into the future.” (westportps.org) That report said the new review is intended to build on the district’s last special education program review in 2017-18. Westport Journal reported that the earlier review, conducted by Cooperative Educational Services, found the district had a strong system with compliance with state and federal requirements and effective inclusion practices. ### What has been disputed ahead of the meeting? (westportjournal.com) Parents who have pressed for an independent audit of systemic issues have differed with district leaders over the scope of the work, according to Westport Journal. The publication reported that district staff and several board members supported a systemwide evaluation of special education offerings rather than an investigation of individual complaints. (westportjournal.com) Julie and Jason Endich, in a letter cited by Westport Journal, said any outside reviewer should be “fully independent and autonomous.” Superintendent Thomas Scarice told the board, according to the same report, that the review is intended to understand how the system functions as a whole and make it more effective, not to serve as an audit focused on individual students. ### How large is the program under review? (westportjournal.com) Westport officials said about 800 students receive services from the district’s special education department, according to Westport Journal’s report on the April board discussion. The district’s pupil services page says Westport provides special education supports for students ages 3 through 22. Westport’s special education materials also describe services including early childhood programming, transition planning and extended school year services. (westportjournal.com) Those materials are separate from the review now under discussion, which officials have described as a districtwide examination of programs and practices. ### What happens after Wednesday night? Thursday, May 21, is the next regular Board of Education meeting listed on Westport’s agenda page, following the May 20 special meeting. (westportjournal.com) The district has said it plans to retain a third-party consultant, and Wednesday’s session is intended to gather community input before that selection process moves ahead. (westportct.gov) (westportps.org)