In the journey toward being a great school district, one distinguishing trait shines brightly: the steadfast pursuit of self-improvement. While external factors may sometimes prompt a review, the mark of true excellence lies in proactively embracing internal audits as a pathway to continual growth and refinement. It's not just about fixing what's broken; it's about aspiring to be better every single day. In 2023, Oakwood Schools began a multi-year, internal audit of its Special Education program to gather information regarding the structures, processes, and services the District provides.

The Special Education Audit is focused on gathering feedback in the form of guiding questions and data to identify the optimal program design and service delivery, with a focus on improving outcomes for students with disabilities.

In partnership with the Montgomery County Educational Service Center, Oakwood Schools held five listening sessions last year with administrators, parents, and staff. A total of 35 parents and 68 staff members participated in these various events. Oakwood Schools also offered an online parent survey to gather feedback.

From May through August 2023, Sue Gunnell, Director of the MCESC Regional Center, compiled all the data from parents, staff and administrators.  The 2023 - 2024 school year began with the audit team identifying five common themes from the data and feedback collected. Those themes are:

• Special education service delivery, program design, and processes;
• Professional learning;
• Communication;
• Resources; and,
• Parent supports.

District leaders worked with Sue Gunnell to prioritize and timeline action steps.  Three key actions were taken with the Special education service delivery, program design, and processes theme based on questions regarding (1) the process for clear, accessible, and understandable identification for special education; (2) the review of staffing and caseload levels in various special education related personnel services comparable to similar districts, and (3) communication regarding transition supports from preschool to kindergarten, elementary to junior high school, junior high school to the high school, and high school to post-secondary opportunities.  

Within the Professional Learning theme, the question of additional training on supports and strategies to support mental health needs was raised. Within the Communication theme, questions highlighting the department's informational and positive aspects and efforts were shared, along with ways to connect with the Special Education Supervisor. Included in the Resources theme was the question of what types of support services and resources were available in colleges.  

To provide clear communication and transparency, a webpage linked to the Special Education Department webpage was created to share information about the Special Education Audit.  

Special Education Audit Webpage

We encourage families and community members to access this webpage for information regarding the audit components. You’ll find the work we’ve completed related to many of the common theme questions outlined above.  I encourage you to click on the various sections and access information and links to documents and tools our team has worked on throughout the course of this audit thus far.

This is a work in progress, and we will continue to add information in the coming years.  Thank you for your support in helping us to reflect and improve for our students and families!
 

#OneOakwood