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Lakeville presents special education data, cites staffing shortages and $7 million cross-subsidy
Summary
District directors reported Lakeville serves 2,059 students under IDEA (Dec. 1, 2024 child count), described program settings and caseload rules, noted reliance on contractors and out-of-field licenses, and told the board special education requires a roughly $7 million cross-subsidy from the general fund.
Lakeville Area Schools staff on April 8 presented a district-wide overview of special education services, reporting 2,059 students served under IDEA as of the Minnesota Department of EducationDecember 1, 2024 child count and outlining program settings, state caseload rules and staffing shortages.
The presentation, given by Michelle Humphrey, Executive Director of Student Services, and Alisa Anderson, Interim Director of Special Services, described age and placement breakdowns the district reported to the state: 70 students (3%) ages birth to 2, 174 students (13%) ages 3to5, 1,002 students (45%) ages 6to11, 727 students (35%) ages 12to17 and 86 students (4%) ages 18to21. In terms of federal placement settings, the district reported 1,018 students (49%) in federal setting 1 (0to20% of day outside general education supports), 427 (21%) in setting 2 (21to60% of day), 332 (16%) in setting 3 (61% or more in a special education classroom) and 38 (2%) in setting 4 (separate school placements).
Presenters identified the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), Minnesota statutes and Minnesota Administrative Rule 3525.2340 as the legal framework governing services and caseloads. The district cited specific state caseload limits: a maximum student-to-teacher ratio of 12:1 for infants and toddlers (birthto2), 16:1 for preschool (3to5) with additional limits when only one teacher and one paraprofessional are present, a 3:1 cap for students with severe disabilities without a paraprofessional (6:1 with a paraprofessional), a 12:1 cap for mild to moderate cognitive disabilities (up to 15:1 with a paraprofessional), and other rules for different disability categories.
Staffing pressures were central to the report. The district said it relies on tier 1 and tier 2 licenses, out-of-field permissions and contractors to fill vacancies. District representatives said they are using contractors and virtual staff for school psychologists, speech-language pathologists and other related services. Specific shortages mentioned included multiple contractors covering psychology and speech caseloads; the presentation said Lakeville had seven speech-language pathologists listed, four as contractors and three carrying overages. Special education leadership also described paraprofessional qualification efforts, reporting seven paraprofessionals still working toward state-required credentials.
Financial context: presenters said the district spends about $40 million on special education within an approximate $205 million total budget and estimated a special education cross-subsidy of roughly $7 million that must be covered from the general fund. The presenters warned that proposed state changes, including a reimbursement proration already applied at 5%, and possible future reductions in special education transportation reimbursement, would worsen the shortfall.
The district described partnerships and placements: Lakeville works with Intermediate District 917 to provide specialized programs for students with significant needs; the district reported 85 Lakeville students in 917 programs, including 44 students (ages 18to21) in transition programming (TESSA) and three in early childhood therapeutic placements, with eight Lakeville students awaiting placement and interim programming provided in the meantime.
Board members asked about staffing, caseloads, program locations, and funding mechanics; presenters said some center-based programs are offered only at select schools because of specialized facility needs and staffing constraints. Directors raised concerns about the alignment of center placements with later feeder patterns and about long-term staffing strategies to reduce reliance on contractors.
Ending: District leaders said they are working to recruit more licensed staff, support paraprofessionals to meet state credentialing requirements, and refine systems for shared data and operational efficiency; they told the board the district is meeting state requirements but is operating with limited resources and elevated demand.
