Kathleen Lockyer Set to Fill as Interim Special Ed Director

When Kathleen Lockyer introduced herself to the this week, it was just after 10:30 p.m. and the attendees were waning. The soon-to-be interim special education director was scheduled to speak at the meeting more than an hour earlier, but like any meeting, things didn’t necessarily go as scheduled.

As the former special education director in Watertown, Lockyer said in a lighthearted tone that the city four miles south of Arlington had some meetings that go to 11 p.m., but the work put into this meeting here was “actually impressive.”

“I’ve enjoyed, and actually admired, the creativity that Dr. [Kathleen] Bodie has brought to that process,” Lockyer said in front of the committee about the changes and potential reorganization the special education department is currently evaluating.

Lockyer is set to fill in for Mark Ryder, who has led the department for the past three years, for the next school year as the district searches and hires a new permanent director. The decision to hire an interim director comes with Bodie’s announcement at the meeting that she “reconsidered” the reorganization of the department, which would have eliminated the director position and established co-directors.

Lockyer said she has started the discussion about the priorities for the year with Bodie and the department. She plans to “reflect on the needs of the community” and ensure that they sustain all the recently implemented programs under Ryder.

Ryder presented the end of the year report for the department earlier in the meeting, which will be relevant to Lockyer and the district as she takes over the position. This was Ryder’s last school committee meeting.

“I want to acknowledge all the work he has done during the last three years,” Bodie said, expressing gratitude from behind the microphone for Ryder’s contributions to the department.

Ryder evaluated the three major goals during his time as director: decreasing the need for out-of-district placements through expanding in-district programs; reducing the rate of identified students by improving “intervention strategies” and “professional development”; and improving district adherence to regulations, which includes decreasing complaints and regular department meetings.

The department statistics showed that out-of-district placements have fallen from five years ago, 176 to 87, or 9.4 percent, which is above the state average of 6.5 percent. There are several benefits to keeping special education students in district, from a “less restrictive” learning environment, to proximity to the community, to reduced costs, he said.

Over the past five years, the city has significantly increased the number of in-district specialized programs with SLC-A, B and C programs that correspond to different types of learning disabilities such as autistic and cognitive-related issues, along with several other programs that include language-based and early childhood programs. 

“I believe Arlington should continue with the [out-of-district] and eligibility reductions,” Ryder said about his hopes for continuing to move forward with the goals.

He said in the past, the department averaged about 25 complaints per year, but this year there were only six.

The special education department’s total budget is about $16 million, about 33 percent of Arlington Public Schools’ annual budget. Ryder’s main suggestion for the near future was to create a “Tier IV Program” to maintain budget stability, which he described as an “off-campus, intensive” program for stabilization and evaluation.

“When kids are experiencing crises, when they are experiencing that low point where we can’t service their needs, we can’t support them,” he said, further explaining the program. “If we had that extra more supportive program we could give them the conditions they need until they stabilize.”

Ryder thanked the Arlington Public Schools for the past three years, saying the teachers and staff were all “amazing.”

“I have tremendous respect and great appreciation for them and their work,” Ryder said, concluding his presentation.