Board approves two Indian Trail special‑education aides after debate over costs and outplacement risks

The Canal Winchester Local School District board voted Sept. 8 to approve two one‑year limited classified contracts for special‑education paraprofessionals — Ali Debo and Jordan Wilson — to serve at Indian Trail Elementary for the 2025‑26 school year after an extended discussion about staffing, safety and cost.

Board members and administrators debated whether the district could reassign existing aides instead of hiring new staff, and whether new hires should be approved immediately or addressed in the fall staffing review. Treasurer Nick Roberts provided a cost estimate the meeting recorded: the two paraprofessionals’ combined salary and employer costs were discussed as a minimum of about $96,000 and a maximum approaching $178,000 annually depending on insurance selections and benefits. Administrators said the positions were sought to spread high‑needs students across additional classrooms and to reduce the likelihood of expensive outplacements.

Indian Trail principal Dr. Copel told the board that school leaders reviewed every paraprofessional assignment and still did not have enough staff to safely meet the needs of students with complex behavioral and support needs. “We sat down...we’ve evaluated every single para. Who can we put them? Who could they best fit with?…we’re still short,” she said.

Special‑services staff and board members warned that outplacing high‑needs students can cost the district tens of thousands of dollars per pupil. The meeting gave an example range for off‑district placements discussed during the session — roughly $55,000 to $120,000 per student annually — depending on services, adding that those figures do not include transportation costs. Supporters of the hires argued that expanding in‑district capacity could reduce such outplacement expenditures and better serve students locally.

Opponents on the board asked for clearer documentation showing whether aides could be reallocated from other roles and pressed administration to inventory district paraprofessionals and consider attrition, reassignment or role consolidation before making long‑term hires. The administration said it had reviewed positions and attempted reassignments but that the district’s current special‑education caseload and new incoming students made additional staff necessary.

The motion to approve the two paraprofessionals passed with the following recorded votes: Miss Barnes — yes; Mister George — yes; Missus Talley — yes; Mister Twist — no.

Action recorded: approved two one‑year limited classified contracts for Ali Debo and Jordan Wilson for the 2025‑26 school year, subject to preemployment conditions. The board noted the hires are one‑year contracts and that administration will continue reviewing staffing and budget forecasts for future years.