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District presents special education overview; leaders cite rising need, staffing shortages and funding gap
Summary
Portland Public Schools staff presented a special education program update outlining a neighborhood‑model implementation, rising numbers of students identified with autism and developmental needs, and a funding shortfall between program costs and state/federal special education revenue.
Portland Public Schools officials presented a comprehensive overview of the district's special education program on Feb. 18, describing a neighborhood‑school implementation plan, recent listening sessions, and persistent staffing and funding challenges.
Jay Bueno, chief of student support services, said the district's program improvement plan emphasizes inclusion, reducing racial disproportionality in specialized classrooms and strengthening family engagement. The neighborhood schools pilot focuses on eight K‑5 schools this year; the district will not add more schools this fall so it can fully support the existing sites.
District data presented at the…
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