Board directs review of special-education placements and staffing after member raises safety concerns

Board members discussed concerns about the safety and placement of some students with disabilities and the strain on teachers and support staff in certain schools. The discussion did not produce a formal vote but resulted in a staff-directed review of placement options and a board member serving as a liaison for the review.

"There are teachers and support staff ... who do not feel safe at school because of some of this, actions of students," a board member identified in the transcript as Miss Hatton said, describing reports of on-the-job injuries and ongoing incidents. She asked the board to "consider a placement a new placement somewhere in our system" for a small number of students whose needs she said might be better met in a different setting.

Dr. Robertson emphasized that individual placement decisions fall to IEP teams and described the need to review the district's "continuum of services" to ensure appropriate options are available. "The IEP team gets to make a decision based upon what an individual child needs," Dr. Robertson said, adding that if a team determines a placement change is necessary, it may do so subject to available options.

Board counsel Mister Bennett and other members recommended staff produce a report on staffing models and placement options. The chair and board members agreed that Miss Hadden would serve as the board's representative or liaison to work with the exceptional education (XED) team and staff on the review. Bennett clarified the appointment did not require a formal board action: "You're not creating a committee. You're not staffing a committee. You're basically asking [Miss Hadden] to serve as the board's liaison on this topic."

The superintendent and staff said XED staff will examine district census data, review the continuum of services and return to the board with findings that address placement options, staffing models and potential near-term steps where safety or service gaps exist. Staff also agreed to follow up on a specific staffing shortfall at Westview, where one board member said a full-time RTI facilitator position was leaving some students without services this semester.

Board members stressed that any action must respect the "sovereignty of the IEP team" while also ensuring the district has appropriate programs and staffing to meet student needs and keep staff and students safe. The discussion generated no motions but produced direction for staff follow-up and a board liaison to track the work.