In 2020, Greenwich Public Schools (GPS) was facing significant challenges in its special education program. Families expressed concerns about services, community scrutiny was high, and district leaders recognized the need for a clearer understanding of how well programs were meeting student needs. Rather than viewing these challenges as obstacles, Superintendent Dr. Toni Jones saw an opportunity for meaningful improvement. She engaged PCG to conduct an independent review of the district’s special education services, launching a multi-year effort that would transform programming, strengthen community trust, and improve outcomes for students.

In fall 2020, GPS selected PCG to conduct a comprehensive independent review of its special education services. The goal was not only to identify strengths and opportunities for improvement, but also to create a shared understanding among stakeholders and establish a roadmap for long-term success. Through interviews, focus groups, document reviews, and stakeholder engagement, PCG gathered perspectives from district leadership, board members, educators, union representatives, parents and caregivers, and the district’s Special Education Advisory Committee (SEAC).

Conducting the review during the COVID-19 pandemic introduced unique challenges, requiring virtual engagement with a community deeply invested in the process and eager for change. To support transparency, trust, and stakeholder buy-in, the district established a steering committee that included parents and board members, helping ensure broad participation throughout the review.

The review report, released in June 2021, identified 28 recommendations across six effectiveness domains and provided a roadmap for improvement. But the report itself was only the beginning. Recognizing that meaningful change requires sustained effort, GPS partnered with PCG beyond the review phase to develop an actionable implementation plan, provide professional development, and support the district as recommendations were translated into practice.

Together, GPS and PCG worked to strengthen systems, expand programming, build staff capacity, and address concerns raised by families and community members. District leadership demonstrated a willingness to engage in difficult conversations, make strategic investments, and maintain a long-term focus on improvement.

By 2024, the district had made substantial progress implementing the recommendations from the original review. PCG returned to conduct a follow-up assessment, including classroom visits, focus groups, and stakeholder interviews, to evaluate progress and identify remaining opportunities for growth.

The follow-up review found significant improvement. One of the most notable outcomes was the expansion of in-district programming, which reduced the percentage of students placed in out-of-district settings from 7% to 2.5%. This not only generated cost savings and greater fiscal stability for the district, but also allowed more students to receive services within their home schools and communities.

While the district continues to pursue ongoing improvement, this work demonstrates what is possible when courageous leadership, stakeholder engagement, and strategic partnership come together around a shared vision. Beyond measurable programmatic improvements, the work helped strengthen relationships among district leaders, educators, families, and the broader community.

Dr. Jennifer Meller, Manager, attributes much of the success to the district’s commitment to the process. “I think the one thing about Greenwich is that they’ve had an incredible superintendent who has been bought into this process from the beginning and wasn’t afraid to face some of the complexities that were both in the district and with parents at the time. It’s really been incredible to see the progress they’ve made because they committed to it. Superintendent Dr. Jones is still a wonderful ally. She was willing to roll up her sleeves and dig into the really difficult conversations that parents were raising and try to get to the root cause of what had to happen.”

The result is more than a successful review process. It is a story of organizational transformation, demonstrating how a district can use objective evaluation, strategic planning, and sustained implementation to create meaningful and lasting change for students and families.

Check out our Special Education Improvement Services and our Thought Leadership pieces:

Teaching and Learning Consultants | Education Strategy Consulting | PCG

Thought Leadership | PCG | Public Consulting Group