Iowa’s State Board of Education Wednesday ordered further review of the Davenport Community School District as it tries to correct violations of federal special education law that board members called “disgraceful” and “troubling."
An audit completed by the state in April found the district put a disproportionate number of black students in special education and was not taking an individualized approach to education plans, among other issues.
Board member Kimberly Wayne said the district has systemic problems, and the Davenport school board does not seem to understand how serious they are.
“This right here has impacted a whole other generation, and they say it’s going to take years to clean up,” Wayne said.
The Davenport district has been on a corrective plan since April, but it’s struggling to provide extra instruction to make up for lost services. As of November 1, the district had reevaluated about half of the 2,866 education plans that were questioned, but had only delivered 4.5 percent of the compensatory education needed.
Interim Davenport Schools Superintendent TJ Schneckloth, who has had the job for just over a week, said the district is having trouble finding teachers to take on that extra work.
“We owe students something, and we need to make sure they get it in a timely fashion,” Schneckloth said.
The additional visit ordered by the state board, which may be conducted in early 2019, could result in referrals to ethics and licensing authorities. The district’s accreditation could also be at risk.
Board members also pointed out that no one was fired after the widespread violations of federal special education law were discovered. And they asked Davenport school officials to do more to notify parents whose children may be affected.
Amy Williamson with the education department said she talked to Davenport school board president Ralph Johanson on Tuesday.
“He asked me if the district is unique in the breadth and depth of their noncompliance, if they are kind of just out on their own,” she said.
Williamson said one of the issues, disproportionate placement of African-American students in special education, is pretty common in the state. But Davenport schools exhibited many other problems.
“We have not seen, to this extent, violations of the core principles of IDEA (the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act),” Williamson said. She added it will take years to change the mindset of district employees to comply with the law.
Some parents at the meeting were happy the board took additional action. But they think more needs to be done and even called for the impeachment of the Davenport school board.
Gina Hale said violations by the Davenport district cost her daughter at least a year of proper education.
“Compensatory education, the atonement, the amends, the making up harm is a really important question,” Hale said. “I hope the board can help with systemic issues.”
The Davenport district is also having financial problems. The education department says the district spent $13.2 million over budget in the last fiscal year.
State board president Brooke Axiotis told Davenport school board members they left everything to the superintendent and were “asleep at the wheel.”
