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Sped administrators outline in-district alternatives, rising out-of-district costs and staffing pressures
Summary
Special education staff described the district’s continuum of placements from push-in regular classes to LE1/LE2 classrooms and specialized schools, noted several students remain in out-of-district placements, and flagged high per-student tuition costs and limited state reimbursement as budget pressures.
Special education leadership briefed the board Feb. 28 on the district’s continuum of special education placements, in-district new programs intended to reduce out-of-district placements, and the fiscal pressure of high-cost tuition for a small number of students.
Donna Ravenberg (presenting) described the district’s in-district continuum: push-in services in regular classrooms, special classes (LE1 and LE2 learning-essential classrooms), behavior-focused “PAS” (Positive Approaches to Student Success) classrooms, and the district’s Structured Skills Center (SSC) and adult living/transition programs. Ravenberg said LE2 classrooms serve students with higher functional or medical needs and noted two district LE2 classrooms that include medically-focused services; SSC continues to serve students with intensive behavioral needs at a smaller-staffed setting previously developed to reduce out-of-district tuition.
Ravenberg said the district currently contracts for some placements with regional specialized schools and private therapeutic programs. She presented per-student tuition for several out-of-district options and emphasized those costs are high; the district is required to continue paying most of those costs and the state’s high-cost disability reimbursement (when it applies) covers only part of those expenses. Ravenberg said the district had roughly 30–45 students placed out of district at times and that those placements typically include one-to-one staffing.
Special-education administrators said they have recently created new LE2 capacity and a high-school behavior (“PA S / PASS”) classroom intended to serve students the district previously had to place out-of-district, and that moving students back into district-operated programs can reduce tuition cost while keeping students geographically closer to home.
Board members asked whether MESD or other regional partners offer placement capacity, how school-district budgets are affected by group homes and newly opened residential programs, and whether the state’s high-cost disability funding and any proposed changes to the PERS side account would alter the district’s fiscal exposure. Staff said high-cost funds reimburse districts only above a high dollar threshold and that the district still covers most direct costs. Administrators also said that if the state increases a high-cost reimbursement or the PERS side account is treated differently it would change the mid-term fiscal picture.
Ending: Ravenberg said district staff will continue to prioritize building in-district capacity to serve high-need students and will report back on specific placements and transition plans.
