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Special education director reports staffing filled, new programs and community parent study group planned
Summary
Director of special education outlined staffing levels, in‑person speech services, a new structured learning program, a Milo therapeutic robot grant and plans for a parent study group; district will recruit related‑services staff as Glass services dissolve.
Missy Qualio, director of special education, told the board the district is serving about 237 students with Individualized Education Programs (IEPs), roughly 10.25% of enrollment as counted on Dec. 1, and that the district currently has its special education positions filled. Qualio gave a line‑by‑line accounting of staff: resource‑room teachers in each building, registered behavior technicians (RBTs), paraprofessionals dedicated to essential skills classrooms, a contracted board‑certified behavior analyst (BCBA) and a newly hired in‑person speech‑language pathologist. “We have all special education positions filled,” Qualio said, and added that the district has prioritized consistent contracted providers across all three buildings. Program updates and parent outreach: The district is rolling out a structured learning program at the elementary school intended to help students transition from Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) center settings into school. Qualio said a Milo social‑robot program (acquired through grant funding) has been successful in early literacy and engagement and that staff are training to expand its classroom use. She said the district will launch a parent study group (first meeting tentatively Sept. 15) and will offer additional training and supports for parents. Transition from cooperative services: Qualio said the district has taken physical files and is preparing to post openings for related‑service personnel as regional cooperative (Glass) services dissolve; she reported staff are working with other districts on allocation of shared equipment and administrative responsibilities. Board follow‑up: Trustees asked for data on the number of additional students helped via RTI and 504 services (Qualio said those data are filed with the state and she will provide them). Members also asked about paraprofessional pay and retention; Qualio said paraprofessional pay is broadly competitive, and the corporation provides benefits that many neighboring districts do not.
