HCPSS Department of Special Education Provides Strategic Plan Implementation Update

March 3rd, 2026

At the Feb. 26, 2026 Board of Education meeting, the Department of Special Education (DSE) provided an update on the initial actions taken over the past six months to begin implementing its five-year Strategic Plan.

The Strategic Plan is organized around five themes that are focused on balancing academic achievement, environmental supports for students, staff capacity, organizational redesign and family and community partnerships. Dr. Jennifer Webster, Chief Academic Officer, and Dr. Melissa Brunson, Executive Director of Special Education, shared implementation updates related to each theme at the meeting.

“We are encouraged by the thoughtful and deliberate start we’ve made in the first year of this five-year Strategic Plan,” said Dr. Webster. “The actions taken this year represent the beginning of a sustained effort—developed in collaboration with our staff, families, and community partners—to redesign our systems so they better meet the academic and social-emotional needs of students with disabilities.”

Theme 1: Accelerating Student Learning

Beginning in August, the Division of Academics collaborated across departments to develop a Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) implementation plan. This plan outlines a sequenced approach to establishing the foundational MTSS infrastructure in schools, including developing shared expectations, strengthening data-informed decision-making processes, and building supports that strengthen Tier 1 instruction – the high-quality instruction all students receive. The plan also ensures appropriate and timely access to Tier 2 supplemental, in-class supports and Tier 3 intensive supports.

Theme 2: Enhancing Supportive and Safe Learning Environments

This theme focuses on creating safe, supportive learning environments by embedding academic, behavioral, and social-emotional supports into the MTSS framework instead of treating them as separate systems. To begin implementing this work, DSE is collaborating with the Office of Student Well-Being to build aligned academic and behavioral supports by clearly defining Tier 1 supports for all students, Tier 2 supplemental supports, and Tier 3 intensive interventions.

A cross-divisional team is also developing a module in Synergy, HCPSS’ student information system, to operationalize the MTSS vision, providing one system for documenting Tier 2 and Tier 3 supports, tracking student response, and ensuring decisions are consistent across schools.

Theme 3: Increasing Staff Support and Capacity Building

Inherent in this theme is the need to equip staff with the expertise to effectively serve students with Individualized Family Service Plans (IFSPs)/Individualized Education Programs (IEPs). In response to teachers and paraeducators feedback indicating they need greater behavioral expertise within their classrooms, DSE added social workers, board certified behavioral analysts and registered behavior technician positions to work directly in programs to coach staff in understanding behavior as communication and adjusting adult practice to better meet student needs. DSE also launched a Quick Response Team to provide side-by-side support for school staff.

In addition to continuing the process of redesigning professional learning for special educators to be more role-specific, DSE is also exploring solutions to address staff workload including the creation of dedicated time for case management and professional learning for staff.

Theme 4: Implementing Organizational Improvements

To begin addressing structural changes, DSE analyzed PreK-12 student needs against HCPSS’ continuum of services to identify potential expansion areas. This expansion will require a multi-year approach to ensure HCPSS has the necessary funding to develop these classrooms and hire staff needed to support them.

The first step of this process will be to differentiate the COMPASS and Academic Life Skills (ALS) programs. DSE plans to redesign the current COMPASS program to include a new program expansion to focus on neurodiverse learners who need intensive support with sensory processing and emotional regulation especially when communication challenges impact behavior. At the same time, DSE will begin developing programs specifically aligned to the needs of the students participating in ALS programs, who represent a broad range of disabilities.

In addition, DSE is developing new instructional models to support K–2 students who need additional help with social skills, communication, and classroom habits, as well as grades 3–5 students in the Alternate Framework learning at their home schools.

To address immediate capacity needs within the COMPASS program, a new classroom will open at Veteran’s Elementary in March 2026. DSE is also reviewing its use of specialized transportation to improve efficiency and ensure students access the Least Restrictive Environment.

Theme 5: Fostering Family and Community Engagement

To begin to foster greater authentic partnership, DSE collaborated with the Howard County Special Education Citizens Advisory Committee (SECAC) to help develop and provide input on the implementation and refinement of the strategic plan. DSE now also meets monthly with community partners to share updates and gather feedback about the implementation of the strategic plan. In response to the feedback, DSE will be developing a public-facing continuum guide to improve transparency around programming that will be launched later this year. DSE has also implemented an Administrative Review process to offer families an informal option to resolve disagreements with IEP team decisions.

“I am grateful to the special education staff and leadership who have leaned into this work with professionalism, hard work, and creativity in front of and behind the scenes,” said Dr. Brunson. “They have thoughtfully problem-solved, listened to feedback from families and colleagues, and helped shape solutions that are grounded in the realities of our classrooms.”

More information about how the DSE is implementing its Strategic Plan will be provided to the HCPSS community through a series of stories this spring. The DSE Strategic Plan Update presentation shared at the board meeting is available online.