The chair of a parent group says the superintendent's lengthy apology and explanation about why administrators included locations of special-education students on a redistricting map-in-progress remains insufficient.

Trish Orlovsky, chair of SEPAC, responded to the explanation, published Nov. 29, by Superintendent Kathleen Bodie.

In an email Friday, Dec. 2, Orlovsky wrote: "The SEPAC appreciates your efforts to communicate with us on this very important issue of confidentiality and district responsibility and protocols. We appreciate your regret at the mistake of sharing this information beyond the administrative level that you intended[;] however, we are still not clear on several points and your letter does not answer the questions we raised."

A statement in response to Orlovsky's sharp criticism Nov. 22, Bodie wrote six days later that the incomplete map, intended only for administrators and never expected to be public, was a tool aimed at assessing the numbers of special-education students in districts with schools having those services. The redistricting effort, which began last month and aims to fashion a proposal by next June, involves trying to equalize student numbers according to each capacity for the seven elementary schools.

Orlovsky continued Dec. 2: "This disclosure event provides an opportunity for dialogue about district practices, obligations of and training provided to public servants and elected officials under FERPA, OCR [Office for Civil Rights] and IDEA [Individuals with Disabilities Act] and about process transparency and sensitivity about the concerns of parents of children with special needs.

"The SEPAC looks forward to participating in these discussions, as this relates to the safety of all Arlington students -- not just those of the 'green dots.'"

That last is a reference to the dots on the map released in error to the public at a Nov. 15 meeting, a map that YourArlington mistaken published for three-plus hours on Nov. 18, an error for which the superintendent and publisher have apologized. 

Asked to detail the points that she believes Bodie has not addressed, Orlovsky wrote:

"I spoke with the [SEPAC] board and they believe we should keep our written response shorter and move the discussion to live venue and involve School Committee members. Debates in print are not always the most efficient way to resolve things and clarify vague language."

Orlovsky wrote Saturday, Dec. 3, that the agenda for the Thursday, Dec. 8, School Committee meeting will include discussions of redistricting and communication.

She wrote that she hopes for a specific discussion about the map published in November as well as follow-up actions to address SEPAC concerns about possible violation of FERPA, procedures of confidentiality and the reason this map was created.

An agenda is expected Monday, Dec. 5. After the draft School Committee agenda was issued that day, it said:

"8:25 Redistricting (20 minutes), Cindy Starks, Joe Curro, Dr. Bodie

"* Timeline
* Communication"

In response, Orlovsky wrote to Starks:

"In looking at the agenda posted for the 12/8/11 School Committee meeting, the SEPAC is unclear whether or where you will entertain a discussion of the disclosure of special education student residences on the draft redistricting map released to the press.

"I believe the SEPAC believed you would be discussing our concerns about issues of possible breech of confidentiality of special ed students, as well as discussion about overall district policy or procedures to ensure confidentiality of student information and release of documents to the public, but this does not seem to be explicit in the agenda.

"Could you clarify when the discussion will occur, as many parents wish to attend this portion of the meeting?"

Starks responded to Orlovsky the same day:

"This will come up during the agenda item redistricting and under that, the area of communication. This is on the agenda for 8:25pm at this time."

SEPAC has no specific discussions scheduled with administration or the School Committee.

The next meeting of the Redistricting Committee is set for 7 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 13, in the School Committee Room.

Nov. 16: Redistricting underway | Nov. 18: First draft released | Nov. 19: publisher's apology

This story was first published Sunday, Dec. 4, 2011, and updated the next day.