COLUMBIANA — The Special Education Department at Crestview Local schools is looking to improve in several areas to help meet student needs and state requirements.

Special Education Director Kimberly Gilbert outlined the department’s goals during the February Board of Education meeting.

She said the first goal is to strengthen the development of legally defensible Individual Education Plans, or IEPs.

What this means is that the department will provide ongoing whole-group and individualized professional development to ensure IEPs are compliant, clearly written, and legally defensible, resulting in consistent implementation of IDEA requirements across the district, she said in her report to the board.

Gilbert also said in her report to the board that the second goal is to ensure full and compliant transition planning, and the third goal is to improve organization and communication in special education systems.

The third goal would be accomplished by implementing shared district tools and systems, streamlining meeting and parent invites, and shared testing accommodations.

“These priorities are especially critical as Crestview prepares for Ohio’s Special Education Desk Review during the 2028-2029 school year. As part of the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce’s (ODEW) general supervision system, the review will examine special education policies, procedures, data trends, student outcomes, and IEP/ETR compliance,” she said.

Additionally, increased organization and communication across the district improves collaboration, reduces errors, and promotes consistency in service delivery for students and families, she added.

According to the most recent data available through the ODEW, the special education profile for Crestview showed that some areas were in need of improvement.

These included whether students with disabilities were performing at high levels on alternate assessments. The district was only slightly out of the state target range in this area, according to the report, accessible on the ODEW website.

Several other areas met state standards, including students having access to the general education environment, readiness for Kindergarten, and other subjects, including math and language arts for a variety of grades

Special Education students were also prepared for graduation, according to the ODEW profile for the district.

“Special education is inherently individualized, with student needs that evolve over time. While services must be tailored to each learner, establishing strong, consistent systems is essential to ensure compliance, effectiveness, and continuity of support,” she said.