GREENVILLE, SC (FOX Carolina) – The Greenville County School Board discussed expanding behavioral training for staff to better serve students with special needs during a meeting Tuesday.

The meeting took place two months after the death of an eight-year-old autistic boy who ran away from school and was later found in a pond.

RELATED: Coroner: Missing 8-year-old in Greenville County died of accidental drowning

Officials said there are more than 12,000 students with special needs in the district. Superintendent Dr. Burke Royster said the district wants to expand behavioral training for staff. They also want an external review of the district’s services to be carried out by a third party.

“I would also like to see focus groups and/or parent surveys done by this third-party group as well,” Royster said. “From the perspective of what questions you should be asking, how should those questions be structured and those focus groups should be done in person as well.”

Copyright 2024 WHNS. All rights reserved.