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The Billings Public Schools Board Discusses Changes to Special Education Policies
During their regular March meeting, the Billings Public Schools Board of Trustees addressed potential changes to current policies and the overall approach to special education services. This discussion followed an external review conducted by Systemic Special Education Support, LLC to identify current strengths and areas for improvement in serving students receiving special education services.
Findings from the Review
Qualitative data was collected through focus groups, interviews, and school visits with various stakeholders, while quantitative data including standardized testing and state assessments were analyzed for trends and patterns of changes over time. The study identified several areas in need of improvement, including:
- A lack of communication from the district’s special education department;
- Insufficient training and staffing of special education teachers and professionals;
- The lack of a strategic improvement plan; and
- A lack of trust from parents.
Performance results also showed over 80% of students in grades 3-8 receiving special education were not proficient in English Language Arts (ELA), while over 85% were not proficient in math between the 2017-2018 and 2023-22 school years. Furthermore, graduation rates for special education students dropped slightly from 84.60% to 83.41%, and dropout rates increased from 3.95% to 4.74% over this same time period.
Efforts for Improvement
District Superintendent Greg Upham and School District Attorney Jeff Weldon filed a request for a review with the hope of implementing the improvements identified in the study. Upham acknowledged that while the results were concerning, they provide a framework that can be evaluated and improved upon for the best possible service to students.
Parents attending the meeting expressed their past difficulties in providing special education needs to their children, with dyslexia as a particularly concerning learning disability that was repeatedly mentioned as being ignored or not taken seriously by the school administration. Recommendations for improving special education services included a specific vision for the district, a district-wide curriculum for students with disabilities, and revising staffing guidelines and responsibilities for special education teachers.
Commitment to Improving Special Education Services
Although no specific action was taken by the board during the meeting, concerns were expressed regarding implementing changes as soon as possible. Upham was in the process of forming a new committee with the special services department to review the data compiled in the report. The board suggested their performance and monitoring committee review the data of special education students separately as it was done in the study and set a monthly agenda item to address the various areas of improvement individually with input from administration throughout the district.
Board Chair Scott McCulloch acknowledged the breadth of the recommendations and emphasized the need for specific and deliberate action to improve special education services across the district over time.
