The Waunakee board on Aug. 11 approved the addition of staff and a pay differential tied to an alternative-site program for newly enrolled students with special needs.

Tiffany, the district staff member supervising special-education placement, told the board the district is registering an influx of 21 resident students this summer, including seven who require 1-to-1 support and ten with speech-and-language needs. To meet those needs the district proposed one additional teacher position and two paraprofessional positions assigned to an alternative-site program; the board approved the staffing recommendation by voice vote.

Tiffany explained that the alternative-site roles include additional responsibilities that differ from standard paraprofessional positions: staff assigned there must be able to administer medication in the absence of a health assistant, serve as district drivers for small field trips, and work with students for extended blocks of time (including working lunches). For those reasons the district recommended a pay differential for those positions. The board approved the requested pay adjustment.

The board and staff discussed planning and funding. Steve (district finance) explained that when additional resident students increase the districts revenue cap via transfer-of-service funding, the increased revenue cap remains even if student counts later change; the funding must be tagged to transfer-of-service positions and can be used for special education or English-language learner services. Tiffany outlined staffing protections: certified positions are contracted and require nonrenewal procedures to remove; paraprofessionals are hourly "at will" employees.