HCPSS Special Education Update from the Superintendent, July 17, 2025

July 17th, 2025

The following message from HCPSS Superintendent Bill Barnes was shared with school system staff, families and the public on July 17, 2025:

At today’s Board of Education meeting, RTI International presented the results of their independent review of the HCPSS Special Education program and provided several recommendations for improvement. The recommendations contained in the report are being incorporated into the HCPSS Special Education Strategic Plan. I want to thank the professionals at RTI International for their hard work and efforts in developing this comprehensive report that provides insights and validates much of the feedback we have received from teachers, school administrators, parents, and others.

Our collective work related to providing special education services in HCPSS is critical as a primary part of our commitment to serving all students. RTI’s report uplifted several recommendations that align closely to our areas of focus and the improvements we are implementing. We have heard from our student’s parents, special educators, school administrators, community partners, and bargaining units, and their input aligns with our goals and several of the recommendations contained in RTI’s report, including keeping as many special education services as possible in our buildings, and prioritizing ongoing, job-embedded professional learning. Additionally, we are developing and implementing a comprehensive strategic recruitment and retention plan to attract and keep special educators in our classrooms.

As valuable as RTI’s insights are, our redesign of special education programming could not wait for the completion of this report. Staff have been working with community partners and school-based staff to develop a special education strategic plan and begin implementing improvements for the 2025-2026 school year. The Special Education Advisory Committee is providing additional feedback to further inform that plan.

Earlier this month, I communicated an update to our special education redesign, sharing the addition of many new and repurposed positions to directly address the needs of our students, staff, and families. These additions are intended as first steps toward reform, not as a comprehensive response or solution to the many challenges facing our district. The goal is to increase the capacity of special educators to help meet student needs and begin addressing what has often been described as a workload crisis. These additional positions are accompanied by a move to shift central office structures so our Department of Special Education Resource Teachers and Instructional Facilitators can use their time to provide direct in-school and in-class support that includes just-in-time, job embedded, professional learning focused on the needs of the students in each classroom.

This is important work, and we need to ensure it is done right, so our students and special educators receive the support they need and deserve.