Enhancement Plan for Students with Disabilities
The process and timeline for developing and implementing the Enhancement Plan for Students with Disabilities.
Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) has developed an Enhancement Plan for Students with Disabilities to enhance outcomes for students with disabilities and support the goals in the Division Strategic Plan.
Under the direction of the Division Superintendent, the Chief Academic Officer and the Assistant Superintendent for Special Services (DSS) serve as project sponsors.
Goals Areas
The Enhancement Plan for Students with Disabilities centers on the following four (4) goals areas:
- Instructional Delivery
- Special Education Processes
- Communication
- Staff Capacity
Timeline
Phase I Dates: December 2020-September 2021
Phase II Dates: October 2021 - October 2022
In response to a request from the School Board, an external review of FCPS’ special education program was conducted by the American Institute for Research (AIR) which began December 2020 with the final report and summary report being presented at the October 4, 2022 School Board Work Session.
AIR was charged with four (4) goals:
- Evaluate the system’s design, structure, and established processes
- Evaluate the adequacy of human capital resources
- Analyze the alignment of services with evidence-based practices
- Evaluate the effectiveness of communication with stakeholders
November 2022 - June 2023
Utilizing data from AIR’s special education report, in conjunction with other objective data sources, FCPS partnered with students, staff, parents/guardians, and content experts to develop a comprehensive enhancement plan for students with disabilities. Representations from these groups served on the Steering Committee or Implementation Team.
- Steering Committee
- Included 80 students, school-based staff, central office staff, parents, and community advocates.
- Developed the special education mission, vision, core values, strategies (3-4) and appraised the implementation plans.
- Implementation Teams and Work Groups
- Included 101 school-based staff and central office staff with varied content expertise.
- Developed implementation plans that outline actions aligned with strategies that support plan goals.
- Additional Community Feedback
- Included members of Special Education Parent Teacher Association (SEPTA), Advisory Committee for Students with Disabilities (ACSD), Teachers Associations, and Principals Associations.
- Reviewed the implementation plans and provide feedback about plan actions.
July 2023 - Onward
As an immediate response to the boards requests presented during the June 27, 2023 work session, leadership developed the Enhancement Plan for Students with Disabilities - Executive Summary reflecting year-to-year priorities for plan actions and a fiscal year outline of plan actions.
The Enhancement Plan Teams were revitalized to include a governance team, an implementation team per goal area, aligned work groups, and end user groups.
Enhancement Plan Teams
The Enhancement Plan for Students with Disabilities is comprised of four (4) teams supporting supporting the strategic implementation of the plan.
- Governance Team
Chief Academic Officer, Assistant Superintendent, Co-Chairs, and Project Managers
Includes leaders responsible for making key decisions for the project. This team will solve problems, monitor progress, and reduce barriers that impede the success of the project.
- Implementation Team
Co-chairs and Collaborative Partners (within and beyond DSS)
Includes leaders that facilitate and monitor the strategies and actions outlined in the project plan. This team will align with each project goal area. There is one implementation team for each of the four (4) goal areas.
- Adhoc Work Groups
Includes content experts aligned with the work of each Implementation Team. Experts will support the plan by completing specific tasks associated with plan actions. They will be brought in as needed and as relevant.
- End Users
Teachers/Providers, Principals, Families, Students, and Community Advocates
Includes customers impacted by the project implementation. Implementation Teams will engage this group for pre and post-implementation of a new resource or tool.
School Board Engagement
The School Board receives updates and provides guidance during specified periods of the plan's implementation.
Related School Board Sessions
The links below provide access to the meeting agenda, associated documents, and the meeting recording.
Questions?
Email us at [email protected]
