Be the Champion! When It Comes to Special Education

What every superintendent can do to improve learning by students with disabilities

Most superintendents rightfully worry about special education. Achievement is low, costs are high, staff are burning out and many parents are unhappy.

Based on my conversations with hundreds of school district leaders across the country, I know all want things to improve, and many believe the district’s special education director or head of pupil services is the person to lead the way. It’s too specialized, legalistic and downright scary.

One school board meeting I attended in New Jersey offers a perfect illustration. The superintendent shared the latest student test scores on the state assessment. He reported modest progress overall but pointed to a stubborn special education-general education achievement gap.

The thoughtful, experienced superintendent then shared his plan to raise achievement in general with specific measures planned for students of color and those living in poverty. He turned the microphone over to the special education director to explain the challenges of serving students with special needs, whose report consisted more of explanations than action steps. Then the discussion quickly moved on to the next agenda item, an update on an ongoing building project.