Review of special education at BC identifies strengths, areas for improvement

Alliance Education Associates (AEA) has completed a comprehensive review of Bethlehem Central School District’s special education programs and services, identifying strengths in the district’s ability to serve students with disabilities while also outlining opportunities for improvement.

AEA presented its findings to the Bethlehem Central Board of Education on Aug. 12 following a six-month review conducted from January through June 2026. The analysis examined five areas: related services, paraprofessional supports, out-of-district placements, the continuum of services, and the central office organizational structure.

The review included 80 confidential interviews with district leaders, administrators, educators, related service providers, paraprofessionals and parents; a survey completed by 97 parents; visits to all district school buildings; and audits of 105 randomly selected student IEPs and other program documents. AEA also compared district data with six similar Capital Region school districts and New York state benchmarks.

Among the findings, AEA noted that approximately 71% of BCSD students with disabilities spend at least 80% of their school day in general education settings, a rate that compares favorably with similar districts. The district also has a relatively low rate of out-of-district placements, with 32 students, or 6.6% of students with disabilities, placed outside the district as of May 2026.

AEA found that the district’s Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) remains a work in progress, with implementation varying among schools. BCSD is currently following a three-year plan to establish a consistent MTSS framework across the district.

Student achievement data showed areas of strength as well as opportunities for improvement. Students with disabilities demonstrated stronger performance on Regents exams than students in comparable districts, with an average proficiency rate of 68% compared with 56% in similar districts. Areas identified for further attention included mathematics achievement and the five-year graduation rate for students with disabilities.

AEA’s recommendations include strengthening principals’ understanding of special education through professional learning, promoting greater shared responsibility for students with disabilities among general and special education staff, and increasing parent and community engagement.

Additional recommendations focus on strengthening integrated co-teaching, improving transitions between schools, establishing clearer eligibility and exit guidelines for related services and Section 504 accommodations, developing more consistent criteria for assigning and reducing 1:1 paraprofessional supports, and creating a “step-down” MTSS process to support students who transition out of special education.

Overall, the review found that BCSD has strong internal capacity to serve students with disabilities while identifying opportunities to improve consistency, shared ownership and coordination of services across the district.

A presentation by the District to provide a follow-up to the Board of Education on the report’s findings is scheduled for Wednesday, Sept. 16 at 7 p.m. at Bethlehem Central High School. A separate report by AEA on Medicaid claims and special education transportation will also be presented at the Sept. 16 meeting.