JLARC to present reports on K–12 special education, ongoing oversight studies

The Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission will meet virtually on Monday, Dec. 14, at 10 a.m. to hear staff present findings and recommendations from a review of K–12 special education in Virginia.

The commission will also hear presentations on semi-annual or annual reports for several areas of JLARC’s ongoing oversight, including:

• Virginia Retirement System Oversight,
• Virginia’s Economic Development Incentives, 2020, and
• State Spending: K–12 Standards of Quality.

The meeting will be available to view live on JLARC’s YouTube channel.

Reports will be uploaded to JLARC’s website (jlarc.virginia.gov/calendar.asp) following the presentations.

K–12 Special Education in Virginia

In 2018, JLARC passed a study resolution directing staff to review the effectiveness of Virginia’s K–12 special education services. About 157,000 Virginia K–12 students received special education services in the 2018–19 school year, representing approximately 13 percent of Virginia’s total student population.

To conduct its review, the JLARC research team evaluated whether local school divisions effectively identify children for special education services in a timely manner and implement the specialized services and educational goals outlined in Individualized Education Programs (IEPs). The study team also examined the availability of licensed special education teachers; the special education training general education teachers and school administrators receive; student outcomes; and school divisions’ success in maximizing the amount of time students spend in general education classrooms.

The team also examined VDOE’s oversight and support of school divisions’ special education programs.

Ongoing oversight studies

In addition to studies mandated by the General Assembly, JLARC staff have several ongoing oversight responsibilities. At the December meeting, JLARC staff will present their annual review of economic development incentives, semi-annual review of the Virginia Retirement System, and annual report on state spending on the K–12 Standards of Quality (SOQ).