Special Education study planned

Board to hire consultant soon

The Capital Region BOCES Board of Education is preparing to hire an outside consultant to study the Special Education Division, in an effort to reverse declining enrollment and position the division to grow and thrive into the future.

Since the 2005-2006 school year―which saw a peak enrollment of 816 students―there has been a steadily declining enrollment in special education programs, down to 650 students today.

"Financial resources are dwindling and district needs are changing," said District Superintendent Charles Dedrick in a memo sent to all Special Education Division staff in late October. "Our Special Education Division is not immune to these market pressures."

"We don't at all question the quality of our programs―I saw most last year and know they are outstanding―but we need to find new ways to restructure, retool and reorganize to meet our districts' evolving needs," said Dedrick. "We can and we will meet these challenges." He noted that the other BOCES divisions have also undergone studies in an effort to strengthen and grow BOCES.

The consultant will be hired to study all aspects of the division, including budget, staffing, program delivery models, transportation, and student and family satisfaction with programming. The board is hiring an outside consultant because of the size and complexity of the division; the study will likely begin in January 2010.

"We do not know yet what changes the consultant will recommend or how these will affect our programs," said Dedrick. "But we are committed to an honest, open process and to keep an open mind about all possible outcomes."

Read the memo sent to Special Education Division staff on upcoming study (PDF)