Longview School District highlights gains in inclusion, outlines funding changes for special education

Longview School District staff told the school board June 9 that the district has increased the percentage of students with disabilities who spend most of the school day in general education classrooms and described how recent state law changes will change how special-education services are funded.

The presentation, led by Dr. West and joined by Patty Bowen, executive director of business services, explained least restrictive environment (LRE) rules under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and displayed district and state LRE data. "Special education is a service, not a place," Dr. West said, adding that the LRE measure is intended to ensure students "are gen ed students first." The board discussed classroom-level participation, supports teachers need for inclusion, and budget implications tied to changes made this legislative session.

Why it matters: state education officials measure inclusion by the share of time students with disabilities spend in general education; that metric drives both accountability and, following recent legislation, more of the dollar flows. District leaders said the state eliminated the prior 16% funding cap and moved to a single multiplier for special-education funding, changes the district expects to increase state apportionment for special education and reduce the district's need to rely on safety-net grant awards.

District and state numbers: Dr. West gave a multi-year view showing Washington's statewide share of students in regular classes 80% or more rose from about 56.6% in 2018 to about 63.4% in four years after the OSPI Inclusionary Practices Project (IPP). Longview's comparable figure moved from about 47.4% in 2018 to 61.2% in 2023. OSPI's working target for November 2025 was shown as 69%.

Dr. West emphasized that the state LRE metric counts minutes of physical presence in general education, not quality of participation: "Opening doors isn't access," she said. She and board members discussed the difference between quantity (time-in-class) and quality (participation, engagement, sense of belonging) and said the district will pursue measures and classroom supports that address both.

Supports, continuum and evidence: Dr. West outlined the district's continuum of placement options — from general education classrooms with supplementary aids and services to resource and extensive supports, including partnerships with off-site specialized programs (named in the presentation as Quest Academy and Lilac). She stressed early intervention and inclusion in preschool and kindergarten, and cited research summaries in the meeting packet that the district provided showing academic and social benefits from inclusive practices.

Budget and funding changes: Bowen described how funding flows for special education will change with the recent legislative actions. Under the new model discussed at the meeting, district staff expect a gross increase in special-education funding compared with current-year apportionment, but a portion of prior-year safety-net claims will be replaced by state apportionment. Bowen summarized the high-level estimate presented in the packet: the combined funding changes (salary/benefit adjustments, MSOC changes, and the special-education multiplier/cap change) produce a headline increase in state revenue near $3.3 million compared with the current year; after accounting for the safety-net tradeoffs the staff presented a net funding increase figure of roughly $1.5 million. Bowen also said Longview had applied for about $1.8 million in safety-net funding for 2024–25 and is awaiting awards.

Board concerns and discussion: board members and staff discussed several recurring issues: parents of students with high sensory needs wanting cautious transitions to general education, teachers asking for practical coaching and time for planning, and the need to move from mere attendance to true engagement. Dr. West noted common teacher concerns: "I don't know what to do with little Johnny when he comes to my classroom. What am I supposed to do?" She and board members described strategies the district will continue or expand, including multi-tiered systems of supports (MTSS), professional learning communities, coaching, braiding of funding for shared interventions, and attention to instructional design and technology.

Next steps: Bowen gave the board a calendar for budget development and said staff will return with a preliminary 2025–26 budget presentation on June 23, a draft budget to the public July 10, a public hearing Aug. 11 and final adoption Aug. 25. Dr. West and Bowen said staff will monitor program costs and safety-net eligibility and apply for safety net funds if the district again meets the demonstrated-need threshold.

Ending: board members thanked Dr. West and Bowen for a detailed briefing and asked that the district return with targeted, classroom-level examples and proposed measures of inclusion quality in future sessions.