Special education enrollment rises slightly; director outlines least restrictive‑environment practice

The Prosser School District received an update on special education enrollment and programming during Wednesday’s board meeting.

Director of Special Services Nikki Swankwood reported the district’s end‑of‑December special‑education enrollment was 366 students and that the count had increased by three in January. She provided a building‑by‑building staffing breakdown and described how the district applies least restrictive environment (LRE) principles.

Swankwood said the district employs 14 special‑education teachers systemwide. She reported specific staff allocations: one resource‑room teacher at Whitstrand and at KRB; KRB also has a life‑skills teacher and a developmental preschool teacher; Parker Heights (Heights) has two resource‑room teachers and one life‑skills teacher; Housel Middle School has 2.8 resource‑room teachers (one new hire shared with the high school) and one life‑skills teacher; the high school has 2.2 resource‑room teachers and one life‑skills teacher.

Swankwood explained LRE as the federal IDEA standard that students with individualized education programs (IEPs) have a right to be educated with age‑peers to the greatest extent appropriate, using a continuum that ranges from full inclusion in general classes to self‑contained placements. She described inclusion models such as push‑in support and co‑teaching, and said the appropriate LRE varies by student.

Board members asked to review the data in more detail and Swankwood invited trustees to contact her with questions and to meet with the special‑education team.