Wyandotte cooperative reports staffing gains and discipline declines as member districts consider withdrawal

Leaders of the Wyandotte Comprehensive Special Education Cooperative told the Kansas City, Kansas Board of Education on Jan. 28 that the cooperative serves about 4,360 students across member districts, that 91% of those students are served under IDEA, and that Kansas City, Kansas Public Schools accounts for roughly 74% of students served in the cooperative.

Doctor Lorie (presenting as "Doctor Lohrey") reported a mid‑year decline in special‑education disciplinary actions: total special‑education suspensions fell to 113 through Dec. 1 of the current school year from 285 in a prior year span, and class‑1 and class‑2 offense suspensions also trended downward. She credited collaboration between building administrators and special‑education coordinators for encouraging alternatives to suspension and said the district will continue monitoring data.

Dana Nelson, director of special education programs, described staffing and professional development work. Nelson said the cooperative has increased teacher access to job‑embedded coaching and noted a historic pay increase, initiation of managed service providers to help fill positions, and numerous staff earning advanced credentials. She said the cooperative’s usage of an online planning tool is on track to break prior‑year access records and that staffing is largely stable: about 78% of needed positions are filled by direct hires, with other positions supported through partners and contractors.

Doctor Lohrey and Nelson also described three work subcommittees formed to address recommendations from the University of Kansas special‑education review. Lohrey said the committees include special‑education teachers, gifted staff, related service providers, KU partners and other stakeholders; they meet monthly and will provide a fuller year‑end report in June. Board members asked for minutes and future meeting dates; staff said they would compile and provide meeting schedules and notes.

Board member Rachel Russell pressed for mid‑year achievement data tied to the cooperative’s work; Lohrey said a detailed end‑of‑year compliance report to the state is scheduled for the next presentation but that district leaders have begun reviewing academic and state assessment data and can provide earlier snapshots on request.

Lohrey also addressed the possibility that a membership district could withdraw from the cooperative. She said the withdrawal process requires state approval; if a member district (the transcript discussed Piper USD in that context) leaves the cooperative, the withdrawing district would be responsible for hiring related service staff it previously obtained through the cooperative. Lohrey said most cooperative staff who are full‑time serving Kansas City, Kansas students would likely remain employed by the district because the majority of students served live in KCKPS. Board members asked staff to monitor the fiscal and service implications and to report back if the state approves a withdrawal application.