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Trustees hear that special‑education costs and behavioral supports shape budget choices; district moving to in‑house BCBA team
Summary
Board discussion linked high special‑education expenditures and certain out‑of‑district placements to budget pressure. Staff described a planned transition from a contractor model to an in‑house behavior‑support team with three BCBAs and site behavior technicians to provide more control and reduce contracted costs.
District staff told trustees that special‑education expenses — particularly very high‑cost placements and some out‑of‑district nonpublic school (NPS) placements — are among the largest drivers of budget pressure and a source of uncertainty in multi‑year projections.
During the budget discussion, board members asked whether the district receives sufficient federal or state relief for those costs. Staff replied that federal funds exist but do not cover the full differential; reductions projected in the multi‑year forecast reflect specific high‑cost placements expected to end rather than broad funding decreases.
Separately, staff presented a shift in the district's behavior‑support approach. The board was told the district is replacing the prior contractor arrangement (Pacific Clinics) with an internal behavior team model. Staff described plans to hire three Board‑Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBAs) to oversee the program and to place behavior technicians at each site. District staff said several hires are already in process and that bringing the function in‑house should improve oversight and create more direct operational control over behavior supports.
Trustees expressed interest in how effectiveness will be measured and whether the change will reduce costs. Staff said they expect better alignment to students' needs and more rapid corrective action when implementation issues arise, and they will report back to the board on outcomes and any budget impacts once the in‑house team is operational.
No formal policy change was voted on at the meeting beyond the budget and LCAP items presented; staff said the new behavior staffing and structure will be part of next year's LCAP and operational plans and will be monitored through implementation reports.
