Saturday, June 14, 2025
From vocational training to peer mentorship, schools in Lynbrook and East Rockaway are expanding inclusive education programs for students with autism and other special needs, despite the need for an expanded budget, program directors say.
The Lynbrook school district has moved away from the traditional one-size-fits-all model of special education in favor of a more flexible, student-centered continuum of services, Susan Saban, director of special services, said.
The district now offers a range of classes tailored to varying levels of need, a shift that has allowed more students with disabilities to be educated in their home schools rather than outside the district.
“In the past, students who needed more support were often placed in programs outside the district,” Saban explained. “But we’ve developed what we call a full continuum of special-education programs here in Lynbrook.”
They include self-contained classrooms capped at eight to 12 students, as well as integrated, co-taught classes that pair a general education teacher with a special education teacher in a mainstream classroom. This variety gives students the ability to move between classes based on their individual strengths and challenges, Saban said.
“They can be in a less restrictive environment where they’re strong and receive more support where they need it,” she said. “It’s a more responsive and inclusive model than what districts have traditionally offered.”
While the district has made strides in expanding services, however, Saban noted, the funding to support these programs hasn’t kept pace. Special education is primarily funded through local district budgets, with limited reimbursement from state and federal sources. The existing “excess cost” formula — intended to cover the difference between the cost of educating a general-education student and one with a disability — hasn’t been updated to reflect actual costs.
“We’re not getting the funds back to really support students in-district the way we should,” Saban said.
Nonetheless, she pointed out that other districts in the state don’t have the resources to expand programs the way Lynbrook has, for which she remains grateful.
At Lynbrook High School, special-education students in the Career Development Program participate in Owl Buddies, a weekly social group that connects them with general-education peers for fun and relaxing activities, Caitlin Hopkins, a special-education teacher at Waverly Park Elementary School, said.
In East Rockaway, Ashley Tavormina, a special-education teacher at Rhame Avenue Elementary School, said these programs offer inclusion and support to students with special needs.
“It allows students to move throughout a lesson, request support or take a break if needed,” Tavormina said. “When students enter your classroom, they know it’s a safe space where advocating for their needs is encouraged and supported.”
Tavormina emphasized the importance of focusing on students’ interests when planning lessons. “If a student’s favorite color is purple, including purple in a non-preferred activity can help establish a connection,” she said. “If I find a student to be engaged when they hear someone sing, I’ll incorporate a singing component to the lesson.”
One of the most common misconceptions about autism, Tavormina said, is that autistic students have a limited ability to develop relationships. “I have been fortunate to witness students within my class who have created meaningful bonds and friendships,” she said.
In addition to peer connections, students in the Career Development Program at Lynbrook High take part in LIRR Travel Training, which teaches them how to navigate the Long Island Rail Road by learning to reading schedules, and how to travel by train with minimal assistance, special-education teacher Bryton LaMantia said.
The program also includes Budget Buddies, in which business students teach financial literacy skills, and a community garden programs, in which students grow and harvest produce on school grounds.
“It’s a fantastic way for students to learn responsibility, teamwork, nutrition and the value of healthy food choices,” Career Development teacher Annie McKenna said.
In Lynbrook’s North Middle School, students run the Hoot Café, a student-operated coffee shop.
“Staff throughout the school look forward to the café being open and are provided with a chance to build connections with the students,” LaMantia said.
Lynbrook special-education students also take part in the Challenger Sports Team, a non-competitive athletics program.
“The most important thing to remember is how lucky we are as educators,” Tavormina said. “We get to teach students who have the biggest hearts and minds.”
