District special education staff outline post‑pandemic demand, new supports and WestEd recommendations

Cindy Malcheski, director of special education for the Middleton‑Cross Plains Area School District, told the board on Jan. 13 that the district’s share of students identified with disabilities has risen to about 11.8% of enrollment, up from 10.8% a year earlier. Malcheski said the district’s October 1 count last year showed 860 students receiving special education services and the district’s December 1, 2024 internal count was about 872.

The presentation explained how the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and Department of Public Instruction (DPI) eligibility rules shape Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) and the district’s continuum of services. Malcheski said most students with IEPs are served in general education classrooms with co‑teaching or targeted pull‑out services; fewer students are in substantially separate settings or out‑of‑district placements.

Malcheski reviewed disability‑category trends, saying other health impairment, speech/language and autism are the district’s three largest categories and that “other health impairment” has shown steady growth. She told the board changes in DPI criteria, increased post‑pandemic mental health diagnoses, and shifting diagnostic patterns (for example between EBD, OHI and autism) influence prevalence and category counts.

The presentation summarized an external WestEd evaluation and its recommendations. WestEd found uneven clarity around the district’s definition of inclusive education, recommended a comprehensive procedural guide, and identified limited collaboration/co‑planning time as a barrier to inclusive practice. The district said it created an internal procedural manual, circulated it to special educators, and will gather feedback this spring to guide revisions.

To address behavior and staffing strains, Malcheski described a new district role—intensive support specialists—filled by Liz Legler and Morgan Glassen, who provide building‑level supports. The district also cited expanded paraeducator professional learning, nonviolent crisis intervention training, co‑teaching training at the high school and follow‑up virtual sessions, and targeted coaching for principals and staff.

Board members asked about private‑school services, staffing consistency and how co‑teaching works at different grade levels. Malcheski said the district provides equitable services to students attending private schools within the district (primarily speech‑language therapy) and that special education staffing had small increases this year tied to growth and evaluation volume. Coordinators explained the scheduling “puzzle” for high school, middle and elementary levels—co‑teaching and para allocations are determined by student IEP needs and master schedule constraints.

Malcheski said the district will monitor use of the procedural manual, report back on feedback after a year of implementation, and continue to develop the intensive support role and co‑planning time. She thanked staff and partners and invited questions and follow‑up from the board.