Oswego Superintendent Recommends Leaving Special Ed Co-Op

The Oswego School District 308 Board of Education could vote June 23 on whether the district should leave the Kendall County Special Education Cooperative.

Superintendent Matthew Wendt recommended Monday that the district separate from the co-op, which serves about 800 students in Oswego schools. He said the recommendation came after a special education audit showed poor communication between District 308 and co-op staff.

"The special education audit pointed out deficiencies that are unacceptable, and we cannot ignore those," Wendt said. " ... There's no one person to blame, but there probably should be at least one person to start the conversation that we can do a better job."

Wendt also said he believes the district, which represents more than 60 percent of the co-op, has outgrown the partnership.

"I don't believe that what was in the audit can be addressed by continuing the status quo," he said. 

"There is a 40 percent achievement gap between students with IEPs [individualized education programs] and students in general education," he said. "That is wrong, and it needs to be addressed."

State law would require the district to issue a notice of withdrawal to the co-op and member school districts 12 months before leaving. Each member district must also approve the district's petition to withdraw.

If the board votes June 23 to exit the co-op, the soonest it could happen would be the 2015-16 school year.

District 308 attorney Maureen Lemon said the district would have one year to create its own special education comprehensive plan, which would have to be approved by the Illinois State Board of Education.

Katra Knoernschild, vice president of communications for EPEC (Exceptional Parents of Exceptional Children) 308, spoke up during the public comment period to say she believes parents were left out of the discussion with regard to possibly leaving the co-op.

Related:

• Future Uncertain for Dual Language; Auditor to Evaluate Program