Board approves special‑education hires and two general‑fund positions after debate over coop dissolution and costs

The Piper School District Board approved a package of special‑education positions and a small set of general‑fund hires after discussion about budget impacts and the potential dissolution of a regional cooperative.

At the meeting staff presented a ranked list of anticipated openings compiled in December from building and district administrators. The first page of the packet covered positions to be funded from federal sources (EANS and other special‑education funding); staff estimated the federal‑funded positions would carry an anticipated cost of about $550,000. The list of staff roles discussed included a director of student services, an MIS/Medicaid specialist, an additional high‑school special‑education SLC teacher, a special‑education social worker (previously staffed by the cooperative), converting a 0.5 speech pathologist to 1.0 FTE, a part‑time job coach for the 18–21…