Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Special Education Capacity topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Special-education seats closed for open enrollment as district cites staffing shortages
Summary
District special-education staff told the board the district is at capacity for students with Individualized Education Programs and recommended keeping open-enrollment seats closed while staffing shortages persist; neighboring districts report similar limits.
Green Bay Area Public School District staff told the board on Jan. 13 that special-education services are at full capacity with enrolled resident students and recommended closing seats for open-enrollment applicants who require IEP-based services.
What staff said: Jackie Hauser, director of special education, said the district allocates staffing by service and grade level and that current allocations are fully committed to students who reside in district boundaries. Hauser said the district is contracting for some services (including speech-language pathologists and educational interpreters) because the district cannot fully staff certain specialties.
Why it matters: Taking new open-enrollment students who require IEP services would require additional special-education staffing and increased costs. Hauser said neighboring Brown County districts report similar constraints when directors meet regionally.
Funding and private schools: Staff explained that private schools may receive a portion of flow-through federal funds for equitable services and that the district is required to consult with private schools on how those funds are used for special-education services. Board members asked whether contracting costs exceed the revenue the district receives when students transfer; staff said contracted services typically cost the district more than regular aid covers.
Board reaction: Board members urged the district to track evaluation counts and historical trends; Hauser said the district maintains an evaluation log and that historically 14'16% of the district's students have qualified for special-education services.
Action at meeting: The discussion was informational; staff said they will continue to keep seats closed for students requiring special-education services while staffing constraints continue and will provide data on evaluations and staffing to the board.
Provenance: Discussion and staffing details recorded in the Jan. 13 transcript; item presented as the annual open-enrollment space designation.
