Special Services Department Present on National Stage

In August, members of the Christina School District Special Services Department presented alongside representatives from the Delaware Department of Education on a national stage at the 34th annual Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) Leadership and Project Directors' Conference in Arlington, Virginia. The U.S. Department of Education’s OSEP hosts this annual meeting for all OSEP grantees.

Director of Special Services Becky Ryan and Supervisor Patty Knapp presented on the successes achieved through a reimagined Continuous Improvement Process. Their presentation demonstrated how the district analyzes data to identify areas of need, establishes measurable goals, and translates those goals into meaningful, school-level improvement plans.

The presentation also highlighted the importance of alignment and collaboration across multiple levels of education. Ryan joined Dale Matusevich, Director of Exceptional Children Resources at the Delaware Department of Education, and Mary Watson of the IDEA Data Center to share how continuous improvement efforts connect the national, state, and local education agency levels.

This opportunity reflects the strong work taking place within the Christina School District Special Services Department and the district’s commitment to using data, collaboration, and continuous improvement to strengthen outcomes for students with disabilities.

Following the presentation, the team was invited to share this work at the Council of Administrators of Special Education (CASE) Annual Conference in November, providing an additional opportunity to showcase Christina School District’s practices and successes to special education leaders from across the country.