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Board hears staff: Carsville does not yet need self-contained classroom; RBT position funding remains in question
Summary
Special education staff told the Isle of Wight County School Board the proposed self-contained classroom at Carsville Elementary is not needed for FY26, and members discussed reinstating a registered behavioral technician (RBT) position that had been temporarily funded from another special-education vacancy.
District special education staff told the Isle of Wight County School Board on March 6 that the request to open a self‑contained classroom at Carsville Elementary for the 2025–26 school year is not supported by current student needs, though staff said the district may revisit the request for 2026–27 when younger cohorts advance.
"The request for a special programs or self contained classroom at Carrsville for the 25‑26 school year ... is truthfully not a need that we have at this time," a special education staff member said, noting the small number of students and wide range of grade levels and needs among them.
Why it matters: the board must balance requests for new specialized placements against current caseloads, compliance needs and staffing availability. Staff said five students in the Carsville zone have significant needs but are spread across grades K–6 and have differing cognitive and behavioral profiles, making a single self‑contained classroom inappropriate for FY26.
RBT position: board members pressed staff about a registered behavioral technician (RBT) position that had been funded temporarily by reallocating funds from a vacant special-education teacher position. Staff explained the reallocation occurred in November to fill an RBT for the remainder of the year; without approval in the FY26 budget, the position would not exist as a standalone funded line and the funds would revert to the original special-education teacher vacancy. Staff provided a total estimated cost for salary and benefits of about $51,000 for the RBT.
Staff vacancies and capacity: special education staff reported approximately four unfilled special-education teacher positions and nine unfilled instructional assistant (IA) positions. Members said unfilled positions increase burdens on existing teachers and IAs and argued that some of the requested positions are minimum compliance needs.
Ending: Several board members said they support reinstating the RBT position and agreed to add it back to the prioritized list for ranking. Staff agreed to include additional special-education details in the rack‑and‑stack packet for member review.
