[{"_1":2,"_112":-5,"_113":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6567564,"mediaKeyId","3290945-dbb9d3b4bf1048fea021e9d4d0eb3c9f","parentId",3290945,"title","Charles County Public Schools lays out special‑education strategic plan as staffing, safety and disproportionality top concerns","audioSeconds",1149,"startMs",887000,"endMs",2036000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3290945-dbb9d3b4bf1048fea021e9d4d0eb3c9f&start=887&end=2036","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3290945-dbb9d3b4bf1048fea021e9d4d0eb3c9f/thumbnail_887000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6567564/Maryland/Charles-County-Public-Schools-lays-out-specialeducation-strategic-plan-as-staffing-safety-and-disproportionality-top-concerns","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6567564-6b1ee0d80195891c20d9e6d7374509e9/orig.mp4?Expires=1771175629&Signature=UKhJMa8kMzg3WjFsCFHvSpklBTpnXDaOlBA6hwReyNvixpKZjisaHE8gygMbnpIoECKaZodGxLMG9LhmNqRa0nU~c5FJUFKxHamTKyk6Sg6kDo1~t2m3XH4Yez0JBme4r3ayhti3AOa90kXP7ESdM~V4NdST73kMbIhc7tflSurtV67dYXv2E~y1kIe-GG-hWx6nnVkagY9VyMzsxaq67Alf9Rf5wk3Tr10g-j~1uhj4pER5~G~rWR~-nFTn2qiO-X4uzRUEmOtrDtHYNjigh5Vu7xfd9mw~3D43lpIU4mHtbYeA4iTSksRCDkZMpE4V2he7z-5U1jz8NjKZhjSJLg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Charles County Public Schools","date","2025-05-14T01:09:09Z","article","Larry Johnson, director of special education for Charles County Public Schools, presented a near‑final strategic plan for special education to the Board of Education at its May 13 meeting, outlining priorities on instruction, access, safety and workforce retention.

The plan — developed with a stakeholder work group and parents — clusters initiatives into four priorities: (1) student learning and specially designed instruction, anchored in a clarified multi‑tiered system of supports (MTSS) and new programmatic handbooks; (2) access and equity, including a full continuum for pre‑K3/4 and new transcript endorsements for non‑diploma tracks; (3) student safety, with a new district team implementing guidance and templates in response to state elopement legislation (House Bill 1204); and (4) talent development and case‑manager workload reductions, including restoring access to the Goalbook IEP tool and a teacher workload committee.

Johnson said the plan grew from a large body of input — special‑education committee meetings, CCAC parent groups and the superintendent’s strategic plan — and aims to finalize language after more stakeholder review.

\"That's what today is about — what is our plan, our strategic plan for special education,\" Johnson said. He told board members the document remains draft while staff collect further public comment and finalize implementation timelines.

What it would change
- Instruction: Johnson proposed countywide professional development on specially designed instruction, universal design for learning, and alignment of program expectations across inclusion, self‑contained and SOAR classrooms. The plan calls for programmatic handbooks and ‘‘look‑fors’’ for principals and coaches to use in observations, with handbooks targeted for completion by August and integrated into teacher evaluation coaching.
- SOAR program rostering: The plan would regionalize elementary SOAR classrooms by grade band (K–2 and 3–5) to avoid mixed grade‑level classes and lower teacher‑student complexity; staff said transportation modeling shows bus rides would be comparable or shorter, and four additional SOAR classrooms were added through staffing to reduce ratios.
- Early childhood and transition: The plan recommends a data‑driven approach to full‑day vs. half‑day pre‑K3 placements and the addition of endorsements on transcripts for non‑diploma career pathways to better align post‑secondary supports.
- Safety/elopement: Johnson said a cross‑departmental team is developing incident‑report templates, behavior support plans and school‑level response protocols tied to House Bill 1204. The team is also reviewing hardening options such as door and periphery alarms and fencing where needed.
- Disproportionality and suspensions: Johnson described state data (from two years prior) showing a risk ratio of about 3.74 for special‑education students suspended for more than 10 days in the referenced year. The district is not yet under mandatory CCEIS status but has formed a disproportionality committee to analyze root causes and prepare guidance for principals to use in school improvement plans.

Staffing and workload
Johnson and other staff framed caseload pressures as a central challenge. EACC representatives and Johnson noted National Association of School Psychologists guidance (NASP, 2020) recommending roughly a 500:1 student‑to‑psychologist ratio, and Johnson cited state‑level estimates that Maryland school psychologists are serving roughly 1,001–1,500 students in the 23–24 school year. The county has 14 elementary sites with enrollments above 500 and several schools where single specialists carry heavy loads, staff said. Johnson said the district will form a case‑manager workload committee and recruit teachers to leadership roles to redesign case‑management tasks so classroom instruction is prioritized.

Tools and retention
Johnson said the district is restoring Goalbook access for new special‑education teachers and building a committee to streamline case‑manager tasks and reduce non‑instructional paperwork. He described Goalbook as a widely used IEP support that helps teachers write aligned goals and scaffolds instruction.

Board engagement and next steps
Board members pressed on transition planning, family engagement, and training for non‑classroom staff (including bus drivers and specialists) to recognize and respond to behaviors. Several parents and trustees urged more materials for families about transition planning and agency linkages (DDA, DORS) for students approaching age 14. Johnson said the plan will include a parent engagement site and recommended roll‑out sessions for families.

Johnson said the plan is near final and will return for broader public comment before being posted and presented again to the board. He emphasized the plan will be updated as the superintendent’s strategic plan evolves.

Why this matters
The plan responds to rising behavior incidents and stretched psychological services at elementary levels, state policy changes on elopement, and federal/state requirements on disproportionality. The district framed the work as a mix of short‑term operational changes (handbooks, rostering, incident‑reporting templates) and longer‑term investments (retaining staff, building a full continuum for pre‑K3/4, and bolstering case‑manager capacity).

Ending
Johnson asked the board and public for further input over the coming weeks and said finalized materials would be posted with opportunities for comment before a final district adoption.

","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Board Meeting - May 13, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Larry Johnson, director of special education for Charles County Public Schools, presented a near‑final special‑education strategic plan at the Board of Education meeting on May 13, proposing countywide professional development, program handbooks, intentional SOAR rostering, new safety protocols tied to state law and committees to reduce case‑manager workload.","taxTitle","Charles County Public Schools, School Boards, Maryland","taxId",14205,"location","Maryland","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6567551,"ATU representatives urge Charles County to address contractor labor practices, allege anti‑union retaliation",136,8269000,8405000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3290945-dbb9d3b4bf1048fea021e9d4d0eb3c9f&start=8269&end=8405","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3290945-dbb9d3b4bf1048fea021e9d4d0eb3c9f/thumbnail_8269000.jpg","/articles/6567551/Maryland/ATU-representatives-urge-Charles-County-to-address-contractor-labor-practices-allege-antiunion-retaliation","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6567551-298f5f04fddeec0698dfe7338a94aeb3/orig.mp4?Expires=1771175629&Signature=OqvW1P5N8UboDU9jPp9UEhlWwCJcESufC3WuqKOHmCnrzr~Qm05RBIH14Crg~z8ESXUWPdDxZr36NgqTVIl9V4cKoGGyLbNc7xkYV~ucYpj1S~9EXcgQBw3iM5ezPc5SjOQab1nYhthYoXDM~3aMqNDbo9R1GCW-GwwBCp7QgASpkpPfol7KbVwvGUwLSjyA5UYGU7jQFndYVfRWwkfCVdOx2r-RPb9jOt8QM3vz8ordczK-iA1U8jP4FGHbzk0ZDrfOozw2olNwrbOUMYKh2dTF8S42y0dGpT0BOUj1iBZfPmRY5crbmVhnNhaRG-HZyaqd~-AJQkxzPNaMAePudg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Representatives from the Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) used the Board of Education public‑comment period on May 13 to press district and county officials to address labor disputes at contracted school‑bus companies, saying multiple employers refused to bargain with drivers and that workers face retaliation.

Naya Banks, an ATU organizer, told the board that beginning after a Wildcat strike in 2021 the union organized drivers at nine Charles County bus contractors. She said three companies have agreed to bargain and six are the subject of unfair‑labor‑practice charges to the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). Banks said one contractor closed rather than bargain.

\"Contractors taking millions of taxpayer subsidies while their workers scrape by,\" Banks said in public comment, urging the board to consider the county’s role in contracting.

Brian Weible, also with ATU, said the organizing campaign has resulted in more than 15,000 transit workers covered by collective bargaining agreements across the region, and he urged the county to consider procurement and oversight practices that allow contractors to discourage unionization and retaliate against employees. Weible said drivers have lost options and face uncertainty.

What they asked for
The union representatives asked for stronger county oversight of contracts, better enforcement of labor standards, and an end to practices that they say have led to multiple unfair‑labor charges.

District response
Board members did not take formal action during the meeting. Board Chair Yanel Morley and district staff did not offer a response on the record to the labor claims during public comment but acknowledged receipt of the statements and the union’s concerns.

Why this matters
School‑bus service is essential to daily operations for many students; sustained labor conflict or mass turnover could affect transportation reliability. The speakers tied labor practices to taxpayer subsidies and public‑service continuity and asked local officials to consider contracting practices when signing multiyear deals.

Ending
The ATU said it will seek ongoing remedies through the NLRB and urged the board and county to take a larger role in ensuring safe, reliable, fairly staffed transportation for students.

","Two Amalgamated Transit Union speakers used the public‑comment period to say several Charles County bus contractors have refused to bargain with unionized drivers and that workers face retaliation and unfair‑labor charges. They urged the county and school system to consider how contracting decisions affect drivers and student transportation.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6567555,"Board approves personnel slate and reorders $12 million in FY25 budgets; moves $3 million from fund balance to cover shortfalls",1034,8346000,9380000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3290945-dbb9d3b4bf1048fea021e9d4d0eb3c9f&start=8346&end=9380","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3290945-dbb9d3b4bf1048fea021e9d4d0eb3c9f/thumbnail_8346000.jpg","/articles/6567555/Maryland/Board-approves-personnel-slate-and-reorders-12-million-in-FY25-budgets-moves-3-million-from-fund-balance-to-cover-shortfalls","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6567555-2e19f0b18ba5d56e97b33f7120bb0099/orig.mp4?Expires=1771175629&Signature=TD9mV2RuXHJkgNF3pE0b8uYbQa~J4ObulSVBTGDcGHyowI9FkUopCvxntuFGXqWLh6fHvc8oi96F-8TGZMGazCokVOU7uvK28JCqwvfvi~-pI8iSmJmaZ7Fb3CW5DALEq~ogLOTQMrk7YcrPinC2FgRh2JyZVltqsiHfiAT-rBsaWk4ElQSn6ZaLlCqX97cbLVVhusKxKO~Cg8qQ~Q2aCTaBS0XBbGTt2x7~i2axx4uqQRsE5KDPC1DmDZYP-2kCnickZBRWpLESei6ybucg9jT~RcDndTnmnLuxp~HTDMO2kakQ8cymukCVdZdJeSejITNmRtG-GmOE28So8DvLsg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Board of Education voted unanimously at its May 13 meeting to approve three budget‑related actions the district said were needed to close FY2025 accounting gaps and fund immediate operational needs.

What the board approved
- Personnel slate: The board approved the regular personnel report as presented (moved by Brenda Thomas; seconded by Tamisha Thomas). The approval covers additions, transfers and separations listed in the formal personnel packet.
- Intercategory budget transfer (approx. $12,000,000): The board approved an intercategory reallocation to move funds among general ledger categories to cover shortfalls in several program areas. The reallocation moved funds out of instruction and contracted services into special education (to cover contracted services and non‑public placements), operations of plant (salaries/overtime), and other categories. The motion was moved by Vice Chair Nicole Kramer and seconded by Board Member Tamisha Thomas; the vote was unanimous.
- FY2025 budget increase / fund balance transfer ($3,000,000): The board approved increasing the FY2025 budget by moving $3 million from fund balance into the operating budget. CFO Karen Acton and budget manager Sherry Fisher Davis told the board the funds cover expected overruns primarily in mid‑level administration salaries/overtime, special education contracted services/non‑public placements, and operations of plant (salaries, overtime, and other costs). The motion was moved by Brenda Thomas and seconded by Vice Chair Kramer; the vote was unanimous.

Why the increases were requested
District staff said three principal drivers pushed projected FY2025 expenditures above budget:
- Special education contracted services and non‑public placements: Contracted provider rates increased and several non‑public placements raised tuition; staff noted contractor hourly rates for related services rose substantially and that the district underestimated costs for some non‑public placements.
- Salaries and overtime in operations of plant: Custodial and safety staffing overtime and related payroll pressures pushed operation costs up.
- Health insurance and other fixed charges: The district reported an increase in fixed‑charge expenses and food‑service delinquent account adjustments.

Key numbers (as presented)
- $3,000,000 moved from fund balance to increase the FY2025 budget.
- $12,000,000 net intercategory transfer reallocating funds across categories to cover shortfalls.
- Earlier in the year the district said it had already moved about $5,000,000 out of fund balance to cover prior FY needs; staff said the district’s fund balance was approximately $38 million before this motion and would decline by additional millions if transfers continue.

Board discussion and next steps
Board members pressed staff on drivers of the cost increases and on steps the district will take to limit recurring uses of fund balance. CFO Karen Acton said the district will tighten vendor approvals and require more stringent procurement oversight for contracted services next year. Staff also said they will evaluate whether in‑district options can reduce non‑public placement growth and develop tighter controls on overtime and contracted related‑service purchases.

Why this matters
District leaders told the board these steps were needed to avoid FY25 deficits and to ensure legally required services (for example, special‑education placements and related services) are funded; board members emphasized the need to reduce reliance on fund balance for recurring costs.

Ending
The board approved all three motions unanimously at the May 13 meeting. District staff will return with further budget details and monitoring steps as the fiscal year closes.","At the May 13 meeting the Board approved three actions: a personnel slate, an intercategory reallocation of roughly $12 million to cover shortfalls across special education, operations, and student services, and a $3 million draw from fund balance to add to the FY2025 budget to cover projected overages.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6567560,"Charles County expands community schools program; first school‑based health center set to open at Indian Head Elementary this fall",521,2636000,3157000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3290945-dbb9d3b4bf1048fea021e9d4d0eb3c9f&start=2636&end=3157","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3290945-dbb9d3b4bf1048fea021e9d4d0eb3c9f/thumbnail_2636000.jpg","/articles/6567560/Maryland/Charles-County-expands-community-schools-program-first-schoolbased-health-center-set-to-open-at-Indian-Head-Elementary-this-fall","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6567560-3b26ba48718cd58921abacd51ac7479e/orig.mp4?Expires=1771175629&Signature=NjIywvStShE0mO8fwbxnDXQsBKVrQOI2yHaMlI8gasdjRKYwREtvDpuvcX9aCxLyI-fRdZJAN2qxeieps6G3vAlNxTE94x3KA3l0u10yDkYqUwOo9Kay2WloRNBCXHtTC28PAoHIXrWZsw21fkJZh1MIjmd7SeiW6ysBrexKtO7ItasfnGmx~oV37T7PQFvTO-UxyLv7k~0fxpEee0xCpFu2s61152Fiw-xzNKWxLRzy68a2Nqc6nLwX4-e0jB8tw~vqud7ORRr9syuW2e4CrlLLbZWLMvkUyBgEvXNg6E7tmw9qYJF~TC~5rao6lLFLYRZcaB0~szDjkMYo-FTjLA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Charles County Public Schools staff reported to the Board of Education on May 13 that the system’s community‑schools program has grown rapidly and now includes expanded wraparound services — from food pantries and resource centers to behavioral supports and a planned school‑based health center at Indian Head Elementary School.

Bethany Goodwin, district community‑school liaison, and Director of Student Services Michael Blanchard presented the update with community school coordinators who described how locally administered concentration‑of‑poverty funds are being used to staff community school resource centers and target services at participating schools.

What the program provides
- Staffing: Maryland’s Concentration of Poverty grant requires one full‑time community school coordinator and one full‑time health practitioner or nurse at each funded site. Coordinators run resource centers, connect families to services, convene advisory committees and coordinate partnerships.
- Core services: All community schools report weekly or biweekly resource centers providing food, clothing and hygiene supplies; computer access for parents; referrals and self‑referral mechanisms; and extended‑learning opportunities such as after‑school clubs and career programs.
- Mental health and behavior: The program funded four behavior‑support specialists deployed at five schools this past year plus contracted counseling at two community schools. Coordinators also organize school‑wide trauma‑informed PD for staff.
- New school‑based health center: The district confirmed that the first school‑based health center in Charles County will open at Indian Head Elementary in the fall. The center will offer primary care, preventive services, oral health and mental‑health supports and is aimed at improving access on the western side of the county.

Scale and data
James Blakeney and other coordinators said their collective work logged more than 12,700 documented interventions this year across schools — a mix of food supports, attendance meetings, enrollment assistance, event referrals and other wraparound activities. Coordinators said need‑assessments completed in year one drove implementation plans and that MSDE must receive the needs‑assessment reports for each community school.

Expansion and funding
The district said four additional schools will become community schools next year — Paul Barnhart Elementary, J.C. Parks Elementary, Mount Hope Nanjimoy Elementary and William B. Wade Elementary — bringing the total to 14. Goodwin said MSDE identifies eligible schools using a three‑year free‑and‑reduced‑meal (FARMS) threshold; community‑school eligibility currently uses a 55% FARMS cutoff and MSDE notifies districts which schools qualify. Additional per‑pupil funds are available in a school’s second year of operation.

Coordinators and community partners
Coordinators credited partnerships with Title I staff, nonprofit groups and local volunteers for sustaining food pantries, laundry and other labor‑intensive services. Goodwin described orientation planning that included principal onboarding and budget projections; she said the district has reserved projected set‑up funding for new sites.

Why this matters
Speakers told the board that community schools bring services into campuses where families already engage — from washing machines at General Smallwood Middle to community resource days that drew dozens of vendors. Staff said the model aims to reduce barriers to attendance and learning by addressing basic needs and connecting families to long‑term supports.

Ending
Goodwin asked board members and the public to attend upcoming steering‑committee and community outreach events and encouraged continued partnership as the program scales.

","District staff told the board that community schools now support families with food, laundry services and mental‑health wraparound supports and that the district will grow to 14 community schools next year and open a school‑based health center at Indian Head Elementary this fall.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Charles County Public Schools lays out special‑education strategic plan as staffing, safety and disproportionality top concerns

ATU representatives urge Charles County to address contractor labor practices, allege anti‑union retaliation

Board approves personnel slate and reorders $12 million in FY25 budgets; moves $3 million from fund balance to cover shortfalls

Charles County expands community schools program; first school‑based health center set to open at Indian Head Elementary this fall