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School committee approves CREST Collaborative articles of agreement amendments
Summary
The School Committee voted to approve CREST Collaborative—s updated articles of agreement, maintaining district membership in the special-education cooperative and supporting access to CREST placements and services.
The North Andover School Committee voted to approve amendments to the CREST Collaborative—s articles of agreement, as recommended by the CREST board. The vote preserves North Andover—s membership in the regional special-education collaborative and maintains access to CREST placements, contracted services and shared transportation resources.
Why it matters: CREST provides placements and services for students with complex special-education needs that some districts cannot provide directly. Committee members noted that CREST placements vary in cost but generally provide a local, collaborative option that can be less expensive than private, out-of-district placements while centralizing expertise.
What the committee heard: Administrators described CREST as a useful partner for placements, transportation options (including wheelchair-van coordination) and professional development for district staff. Committee members moved to suspend the normal first-read schedule because the collaborative requested timely approval prior to an April 30 deadline.
Committee action: The committee voted unanimously to approve the CREST articles amendments as drafted by CREST's board of directors.
Next steps: District administrators will remain engaged with the collaborative to support transportation arrangements, placements and related service coordination.
