Highline presents inclusion push; reports rise in students with IEPs spending more time in general education

Highline School District staff told the board on Jan. 22 that the district is expanding inclusionary practices districtwide and reported measurable gains in student participation: the share of students with Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) who spend at least 40% of the school day in general-education settings rose from 85% at the start of the 2023–24 year to about 88.5% most recently, with the district's first cohort of schools at roughly 93%.

The presentation matters because the shift affects how students with disabilities receive services, shapes staffing and training priorities, and carries budgetary implications if the state does not increase special-education funding. District leaders described a cohort model, a negotiated letter of agreement for elementary schools, targeted trainings for staff and paraeducators, and ongoing work to scale supports at secondary schools.

At the session, Adrianna (staff member, session facilitator) framed the district’s strategic priorities and said the inclusion work is linked to the district’s promise that “we are committed to ensuring that every student in High Line Public Schools is known by name, strength, and need and graduates prepared for the future.” Janet Parker, executive director in student learning, said plainly: “Special education is a service, not a place.”

What the district presented

Gabe Bunkart and Darren Spencer, the district’s directors of special education for elementary and secondary levels respectively, and Janet Parker detailed the district’s multi-year inclusion effort, which began in earlier…