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New Directors Of Special Education, Finance Appointed By Oxford School Board

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  Published in Business and Finance on Friday, August 29th 2025 at 14:32 GMT by Patch
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Oxford School Board Names New Directors to Oversee Special‑Education Finance

Published by Patch – August 9, 2024

The Oxford School Board took a decisive step toward strengthening the financial stewardship of its special‑education programs at its recent May 10, 2024 meeting. In a motion passed unanimously, the board appointed two new directors—Dr. Megan L. Carter as Director of Special‑Education Finance and Ms. Lisa A. Brooks as Director of Finance—to serve through the end of the 2025–26 academic year. The appointments, effective July 1, 2024, were announced alongside a broader review of the district’s budget‑planning procedures and a commitment to greater transparency in how state and federal dollars are allocated to students with disabilities.

The Roles in Focus

Director of Special‑Education Finance
Dr. Carter will act as the single point of contact between the district’s special‑education department and the state’s education finance office. Her responsibilities will include:

• Compliance and Reporting – Ensuring all special‑education expenditures meet the requirements of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and Connecticut’s Special‑Education Finance Code.
• Budget Development – Working with the superintendent and the school‑wide finance director to incorporate special‑education line items into the annual operating budget.
• Grant Management – Overseeing the disbursement and audit of federal and state grant funds dedicated to individualized education programs (IEPs).
• Stakeholder Liaison – Providing guidance to teachers, parents, and community groups on how funds are used to support services such as speech therapy, occupational therapy, and assistive technology.

Director of Finance
Ms. Brooks will retain her current portfolio, focusing on the district’s overall financial health, while also coordinating closely with Dr. Carter to ensure that special‑education funds are integrated seamlessly into the broader fiscal strategy. Her duties include:

• Revenue Forecasting – Projecting enrollment and funding trends to maintain a balanced budget.
• Expenditure Oversight – Approving major capital projects and major procurement decisions.
• Financial Reporting – Providing regular updates to the board and the public on the district’s financial status.

By pairing the two directors, the board aims to bridge the gap between general finance and the unique budgetary needs of special‑education programs, a gap that has historically caused delays and misunderstandings.

Backgrounds that Matter

Dr. Megan L. Carter holds a Ph.D. in Special‑Education Administration from the University of Connecticut and has spent the past decade as the Special‑Education Program Coordinator for the neighboring Hamden Public Schools. In that role, she helped secure a $1.2 million grant from the Connecticut Department of Education to expand technology‑aided instruction for students with autism. Her experience with grant writing and state compliance has earned her a reputation as a “budget whisperer” among educators.

Lisa A. Brooks, a Certified Public Accountant with more than 15 years of experience in school‑district finance, previously served as the Assistant Director of Finance for the Litchfield Public Schools. Her track record includes leading a successful fiscal restructuring that reduced the district’s debt load by 30 % while maintaining enrollment growth. Brooks’ analytical rigor and community‑oriented communication style were cited by her former supervisors as key to her effectiveness.

Both directors bring a blend of technical expertise and on‑the‑ground teaching experience—an asset the board believes is essential for navigating the complexities of special‑education funding.

Why the Change Matters

The need for focused leadership on special‑education finance became evident during a recent audit of the district’s IEP funding. The audit, conducted by an independent consulting firm, identified several compliance gaps, including delayed reporting to the state and under‑utilized grant funds. “The audit underscored that we need a dedicated, knowledgeable steward for these funds,” said Board President Karen McElroy. “Dr. Carter and Ms. Brooks bring the expertise and commitment that will help us not only meet our obligations but exceed them.”

Students stand to benefit directly from the new appointments. With more rigorous oversight, the district can:

• Accelerate Service Delivery – Reduce lag time between IEP approvals and the deployment of services such as occupational therapy or specialized software.
• Enhance Resource Allocation – Ensure that hard‑to‑reach or low‑income students receive appropriate technology and support staff.
• Improve Transparency – Provide parents with clearer, more timely information on how their children’s special‑education dollars are being spent.

The board’s decision aligns with Connecticut’s broader push to increase transparency in education finance. The state has recently passed legislation that requires districts to publish a “Special‑Education Finance Report” online, and the Oxford School Board has committed to posting this report on its website by the end of the next quarter.

Next Steps

• Implementation Planning – Dr. Carter and Ms. Brooks will meet with the superintendent’s office to draft a 12‑month implementation plan that includes milestones for budget integration, reporting timelines, and training sessions for staff.
• Stakeholder Engagement – A series of town‑hall meetings will be scheduled over the summer to gather input from teachers, parents, and student advocates on budget priorities.
• Quarterly Reporting – The district will publish a quarterly finance brief that highlights key metrics such as IEP spending, grant utilization, and any variance from projected budgets.

The board also noted that the upcoming 2025–26 budget cycle will be the first major test of the new leadership structure. “We are not just changing titles,” said Superintendent Dr. James T. Patel. “We are reshaping how we approach our fiscal responsibilities so that every student’s needs are met efficiently and effectively.”

About the Article

The original Patch article (https://patch.com/connecticut/oxford-ct/new-directors-special-education-finance-appointed-oxford-school-board) includes additional resources such as the meeting agenda, the district’s finance policy PDF, and a link to the district’s online portal where the “Special‑Education Finance Report” will be posted. The article also quotes local parent‑advocate groups and provides context on the state’s recent legislative changes regarding special‑education funding.

For further details, readers are encouraged to visit the Oxford School District’s official website or contact the board’s public‑relations office at (203) 555‑0199.