MONTCLAIR PUBLIC SCHOOLS PUBLIC BOARD MEETING HELD ON MONDAY, DECEMBER 18, 2017 AT 6:00 PM GEORGE INNESS ANNEX ATRIUM 141 PARK STREET, MONTCLAIR, NEW JERSEY Minutes/Public Board Meeting Monday, December 18, 2017 Page 1 MINUTES OF THE PUBLIC BOARD MEETING HELD MONDAY, DECEMBER 18, 2017 AT 6:00 PM GEORGE INNESS ANNEX ATRIUM 141 PARK STREET, MONTCLAIR, NEW JERSEY A. STATEMENTS 1. Meeting Notice B. ROLL CALL AT 6:02 pm PRESENT ABSENT Laura Hertzog x Jevon Caldwell-Gross x Jessica de Koninck x Joseph Kavesh x Anne Mernin x Eve Robinson x Franklin Turner x C. RESOLUTION FOR EXECUTIVE SESSION Jevon Caldwell Gross moved to approve the following WHEREAS, the Open Public Meetings Act, N.J.S.A.10:4-12, permits the Board of Education to meet in closed session to discuss certain matters, NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, the Board of Education adjourns to closed session to discuss: a matter rendered confidential by federal or state law; a matter in which release of information would impair the right to receive government funds; a collective bargaining agreement and/or negotiations related to it; a matter involving the purchase, lease, or acquisition of real property with public funds; any matter involving the employment, appointment, termination of employment, terms and conditions of employment, evaluation of the performance of, promotion or disciplining of any specific prospective public officer or employee or current public officer or employee employed or Minutes/Public Board Meeting Monday, December 18, 2017 Page 2 appointed by the public body, unless all the individual employees or appointees whose rights could be adversely affected request in writing that such matter or matters be discussed at a public meeting deliberation after a public hearing that could result in a civil penalty or other loss. matters of attorney-client privilege AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, the minutes of this closed session be made public when the need for confidentiality no longer exists. Seconded by Franklin Turner and approved by a vote of 5-0 AYE NAY ABSTAIN ABSENT Jessica de Koninck x Jevon Caldwell-Gross x Laura Hertzog x Joseph Kavesh x Anne Mernin x Eve Robinson x Franklin Turner x Anne Mernin arrived at 6:08 pm D. RETURN TO OPEN SESSION at 7:34 pm E. THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE F. ROLL CALL PRESENT ABSENT Laura Hertzog x Jevon Caldwell-Gross x Jessica de Koninck x Joseph Kavesh x Anne Mernin x Eve Robinson x Franklin Turner x Minutes/Public Board Meeting Monday, December 18, 2017 Page 3 G. SUPERINTENDENT’S OFFICE REPORT AND PRESENTATIONS 1. Hillside School Traveling Troupe musical performance from Seussical 2. Recognition of the State Champion Montclair Mounties Football Team 3. AVID presentation 4. Presentation of the 2016-17 Annual Audit by Raymond Sarinelli of Nisivoccia, LLP. H. BOARD DISCUSSION 1. Resolution: Assessment of Montclair Public Schools Current Special Education Landscape Anne Mernin moved to approve the following resolution: WHEREAS The Montclair School District (the “District”) has over 1200 students (over 17%) currently receiving services/ accommodations defined by an Individual Education Plan (“IEP”); and, WHEREAS The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (“IDEA”) ensures that all children with disabilities have available to them a free appropriate public education that provides special education and related services designed to meet their unique needs and prepares them for further education, employment, and independent living; and, WHEREAS The Montclair Board of Education (the “Board”) is responsible for ensuring that the District fulfills the requirements of the law by providing appropriate special education programs and related services as required by the individual children educated in our schools; and, WHEREAS The Board has a genuine and deeply held commitment to see the faithful execution of these responsibilities; and, WHEREAS The Board has requested management reporting to cover all significant areas of District activities, specifically including Pupil Services, in part to ensure that the Board understands the effectiveness of current Special Education (“SPED”) programs and related services; and, WHEREAS Members of the Board have articulated a need to better understand the strengths and areas for growth in the area of Special Services, NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Montclair Board of Education instructs the Superintendent to perform a comprehensive holistic analysis of the current special education needs within the District, This analysis of needs should include but not be limited to in its scope: - The number of students within each SPED diagnosis/category; - The grade level(s) when these need(s) were identified; - How SPED needs were identified; including whether caregivers provided outside evaluations; and/or whether the District contracted for outside evaluations; - The nature and number of evaluations (e.g., neuropsych, psychiatric), whether Minutes/Public Board Meeting Monday, December 18, 2017 Page 4 internal or external, related to diagnosis of needs; and, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED the analysis should include data, where possible, on legal resources engaged by caregivers. It will include any special categories at high risk for special needs such as adoption (where information is known) and, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this analysis should include in its scope: 1. What is the racial/ethnic breakdown of students who had a private psychoeducational assessment? 2. Based on a student’s race/ethnicity what is the likelihood of being classified with a private psychoeducational assessment versus an MPS psychoeducational assessment? 3. What is the number of accommodations received by a student per their IEP based on race/ethnicity? 4. What is the number of accommodations received by a student per their 504 based on race/ethnicity? 5. What is the number of services received by a student per their IEP based on race/ethnicity? 6. What is the number of services received by a student per their 504 based on race/ethnicity? 7. What is the racial/ethnic breakdown of students with a 504? 8. What is the racial/ethnic breakdown of parents/guardian who had an additional person at the IEP meeting e.g. an advocate, lawyer, and/or special consultant? 9. What is the racial/ethnic breakdown of students with out-of-district placements? 10. What is the racial/ethnic breakdown of money allocated per special education student based on race/ethnicity? All analysis/reporting related to this initiative should include the racial/ethnic and socio-economic breakdown of students covered by the analysis. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this analysis should include in its scope: - Programs used to address special needs, including: program costs, personnel resource requirements, and enrollment information; program evaluation methods and latest evaluation data. This should include internally staffed programs and programs such as ESS which use outside resources. - Processes used to trigger identification of special needs, the initiation and development of IEPs, compliance with IEPs and monitoring the effectiveness of interventions, methods used for evaluation process performance and latest process performance reports; - Communication structures, both internal and external, and the processes used to evaluate effectiveness of these structures, and the latest reports on the effectiveness of these communication structures; - An analysis of specialized personnel resources including roles, reporting structures, evaluation methods and grade-level/disability specialty; procedures used to deploy personnel; - Organization and reporting lines for SPED resources, with definition of role and make- up of Child Study Teams, - An analysis of legal issues raised in Special Needs with associated frequency and cost information, Minutes/Public Board Meeting Monday, December 18, 2017 Page 5 - An understanding of Out-of-District placements along with any post-placement analysis to capture and provide feedback on lessons learned. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that analysis should also include comprehensive feedback on SPED strengths and opportunities for improvement as perceived by general education staff, SPED staff, SPED parents, SPED students, District Principals and District Administrators; and, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Montclair Board of Education instructs the Superintendent to provide the results of this analysis accompanied by a plan to improve the effectiveness of SPED programming. This plan will include a set of priority focus areas with the rational for each, implementation timetables, cost projections, expected impacts on measurable outcomes (test scores, Out-of- District (“OOD”) placements, student absence rates, student feedback metrics, parent satisfaction metrics, and responsiveness to staff concerns.) BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED the Superintendent will provide the Montclair Board of Education with a plan to perform this analysis of the Special Education Program by the end of January, 2018. This will include a feasibility report, plan for a formal launch of this assessment, resources required to conduct the assessment, and a timeline for updating the Board on the results of the assessment. Seconded by Jevon Caldwell Gross and approved by a vote of 6-0 AYE NAY ABSTAIN ABSENT Laura Hertzog x Jevon Caldwell-Gross x Jessica de Koninck x Joseph Kavesh x Anne Mernin x Eve Robinson x Franklin Turner x I. SEARCH UPDATE J. COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC The Board will allow time for the public to comment on agenda and non-agenda items. K. MINUTES Franklin Turner moved to approve the following minutes: 1. Public meeting on November 20, 2017 Minutes/Public Board Meeting Monday, December 18, 2017 Page 6 Seconded by Joe Kavesh and approved by a vote of 5-0-1 AYE NAY ABSTAIN ABSENT Laura Hertzog x Jevon Caldwell-Gross x Jessica de Koninck x Joseph Kavesh x Anne Mernin X Eve Robinson x Franklin Turner x Anne Mernin moved to approve the following resolution: 2. Public workshop meeting on December 6, 2017 Seconded by Joe Kavesh and approved by a vote of 4-0-2 AYE NAY ABSTAIN ABSENT Laura Hertzog x Jevon Caldwell-Gross x Jessica de Koninck x Joseph Kavesh x Anne Mernin x Eve Robinson x Franklin Turner x L.