Waunakee proposes in‑district alternative education pilot and in‑house transport to curb costly outside placements

District staff told the budget committee on Jan. 9 they are proposing a one‑year pilot to serve certain K–8 students in a Waunakee‑based alternative education program instead of placing them in costly out‑of‑district placements.

“Tiffany” (special education coordinator) told the committee that out‑of‑district placements have become more frequent and more expensive; “those placements are super expensive ranging anywhere from $50,000 to a $150,000 per year per student,” she said, and an example placement had previously cost the district about $1,000 per day.

The pilot: staff described a start‑up plan to serve 3–5 students in fall with one teacher and two paraprofessionals, operating from a leased office‑style space across the parking lot from the district wellness clinic. Summers and staff said the space has a separate entrance, full‑time building monitoring, restroom and kitchen access and security cameras; staff called it a convenient, close option…