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Committee report: district to expand SEL, trauma training and special-education supports
Summary
The board—s College and Career Readiness committee reported plans to deepen Second Step social-emotional learning, expand trauma training to year-long action plans, consider a therapy vendor for schools and improve supports for students with special needs, including sensory rooms and caseload monitoring.
Mister Becker, chair of the College and Career Readiness committee, reported to the full board that the committee focused on student services and planning for the coming school year.
Becker said the district will expand Second Step social-emotional learning (SEL) training: elementary staff have baseline knowledge, and the district will deepen instruction and roll it out to intermediate grades using base group time so it does not interrupt core instruction. The committee also plans to move trauma-related staff training from one-off sessions to year-long action plans, Becker said.
The committee discussed bringing a different therapy vendor or therapy service provider into district schools to provide more continuous services across the year. Becker said the committee addressed special-education service models and supports, including improved training for educational assistants, targeted strategies to support students with autism, and an effort to provide a sensory room in every building.
Committee members also reported work to better monitor special-education caseloads and to reduce delays in hiring when caseloads exceed standard benchmarks. Becker said the committee reached out to CESA (Cooperative Educational Service Agency) to benchmark average caseload sizes rather than rely on informal estimates.
No formal board action was taken on those discussion items during the July 14 meeting; Becker asked other committee chairs to consider whether the board should coordinate regular legislative outreach about funding and policy matters as budget impacts emerge.
