Westerly, RI: 16 percent of students have special needs; "high marks" for SPED

June 28, 2021, Westerly (RI) Sun: Westerly special education services gets high marks in report https://www.thewesterlysun.com/news/westerly/westerly-special-education-services-gets-high-marks-in-report/article_8eb5c714-d856-11eb-baa9-2fa1cbcfe3f5.html

The school district was found to be in compliance with all state and federal measures for the delivery on special education services following a recently completed audit…. The recently completed 2021-22 school year saw the district transition its special education services to the multi-tiered systems of support approach. Sixteen percent of the district's students are identified as requiring special education or related services, slightly higher than the state average of 15%. Of the district's special education students, 13 percent are autistic, 25% have a learning disability, 11% receive speech or language services, and 6% have been identified with emotional disabilities. "This should lead to more accurate identification of students who truly have learning disabilities," Rossi said….