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Board hears rise in worker‑injury reports; district projects mod rate near 1.03 and cites staff reporting improvements
Summary
District presented a quarterly workers' compensation report showing higher incident counts compared with last year, noted that many incidents involve staff injured by students and said better reporting may contribute to the increase; district emphasized training and targeted supports.
District staff told the Board of Education on Jan. 29 that workers’ compensation incident reports and related costs rose compared with the prior year, but that improved reporting and targeted training are part of the district’s response.
Officials said the district’s modifier (mod) projection for the year is about 1.03, which keeps the district in a three‑star standing on the safety KPI. Staff reported 100 workers’ compensation claims and incidents in the first two quarters of the fiscal year compared with 64 at the same point last year, and noted paid claim costs to date of about $58,000 versus roughly $268,000 at the same time last year. Staff cautioned that not every report becomes a paid claim but each incident is reviewed.
The district said 34 of 54 incidents during the second quarter were staff injuries caused by students; paraprofessionals accounted for 21 of those incidents and teacher/administrator groups reported 13. The district said paraprofessional incidents rose from 13 the previous year to 21 in the reporting period.
Board members expressed concern and asked for more urgency around prevention, not just training. Board member Dr. Herzog urged a focus on school climate and student responsibility along with training for staff. District staff said efforts include universal prevention training on managing major behaviors, third‑party consulting, paraprofessional development through CESA 7, targeted follow‑up at high‑incident schools and continued emphasis on reporting so incidents are documented and addressed.
Why it matters: The increase in reported incidents highlights staff safety concerns and has budget implications. The district said clarifying reporting procedures and ongoing training are essential to both prevent injuries and ensure incidents are recorded and followed up.
Staff said all incidents are reviewed and follow established procedures; they emphasized a desire to reduce incident counts even as reporting improves.
