District outlines expanding student services, flags more students facing housing and mental-health needs

Chris Mann, director of student services for the Middleton‑Cross Plains Area School District, told the school board that his department’s work “is to increase access to learning” by removing barriers so students can attend and learn.

The presentation on the 2024–25 school year summarized rising needs across basic supports, social‑emotional learning and mental health. Staff reported an increase in students applying for the free and reduced‑price meal program, a “drastic” increase in students identified as experiencing homelessness (the district reported the current year’s count at about 25 so far), and roughly 27 students identified as unaccompanied homeless youth.

Mann said the district is relying on multiple tools and partnerships — including the Dane County Youth Assessment and a social‑emotional screener (SSIS/SSELB) given to fourth, seventh and ninth graders — to identify needs and target supports. “When we think about student services, I think the easiest way to summarize is that we want to increase access to learning,” Mann said.

Amy Poole, families and…