Norfolk Public Schools board approves extra elementary special-education teacher and a half-time ELL position; discusses preschool high‑needs classroom

The Norfolk Public Schools Board of Education approved the addition of one elementary special-education teacher and a half-time English-language-learner teacher for the 2025–26 school year and discussed creating a high‑needs preschool classroom, board members said.

Superintendent Dr. Thompson told the board that special-education and ELL enrollments have grown substantially in recent years and are mandated by state and federal law. The district has gained 271 special-education students since 2013 and 103 additional ELL students since 2019, Thompson said. From 2020 to 2024 the district added 226 special-education students; during that same span the district added eight special-education teachers and five ELL teachers, she said.

Board members approved the staffing additions during the meeting after the finance and facilities report. The board voted 5–0 to add one full-time elementary special-education teacher, which the district estimated would cost approximately $61,000. The board also voted 5–0 to add a 0.5 FTE ELL teacher for the junior high to address enrollment growth there; the estimated cost for that half-time position is approximately $32,000.

District special-education lead Mary Luehr (spelled in transcript variously) told the board the district’s…