D300 invites public to review special ed audit

The results of the special education audit in Community Unit District 300 will be released next week, with the district providing two opportunities for the public to learn about the findings and the next steps.

Auditors from the Urban Special Education Leadership Collaborative, a Massachusetts-based network of education leaders that seeks to improve services for students with disabilities, will first present the audit results to the school board on Monday, March 14.

Monday’s meeting is strictly for the school board and questions from audience members will not be allowed.

Parents and other interested parties will have the opportunity to discuss the audit and ask questions at an in-depth presentation slated for 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 15, at Westfield Community School, 2100 Sleepy Hollow Road, Algonquin.

“The presentation is just a feature of the district wanting the constituents to know the whole story and the findings of the audit,” said Sarah Kedroski, assistant superintendent-elect. “Children and parents need to know the most about

programs that are changing and the audit findings. This is the right thing to do.”

The audit was conducted with the goal of determining areas to improve the effectiveness, accountability and efficiency of the district’s special education program, district leaders have said.

Superintendent-elect Michael Bregy and his newly created teaching and learning team will use the findings from the seven-month evaluation to create a final recommendation for a comprehensive overhaul of the program.

Kedroski said any budget reductions based on the audit would be implemented to make the special education program more efficient.

“That was the point of the audit,” Kedroski said. “Not only to better serve the special education population, but also to do that in a more streamlined and direct way.”

The new plan would take effect in the 2011-2012 school year.

District spokeswoman Allison Strupeck said special education has been a district focus for the past few years and the district is committed to maintaining that trend.

“We felt it was necessary to take a closer look at how effectively we were using resources, like we do with regular education programs,” Strupeck said. “(Superintendent) Bregy and his team have ideas to improve the program. The audit will provide an outside perspective that will confirm their preliminary ideas.”

The school board meets at 7:30 p.m. Monday, March 14, in the Professional Development Center at Westfield Community School, 2100 Sleepy Hollow Road, Algonquin. The public forum will be from 5:30 p.m., Tuesday, March 15, also at Westfield.