Liberty board approves contracted special-education staff as district reports multiple vacancies
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Summary
The Liberty Elementary School District governing board approved cooperative contracts to hire contracted special-education personnel after district leaders said national and local shortages left several positions unfilled and risked legal noncompliance for student services.
The Liberty Elementary School District governing board on Monday approved the use of cooperative contracts to secure contracted special-education personnel, after district staff described multiple vacancies among school psychologists, speech-language pathologists and special-education teachers.
District staff said shortages are national and local and that contracting is a temporary measure to keep services in place and maintain compliance with state and federal special-education requirements. "Not hiring school psychologists will expose the district to serious legal and financial risks," a presenter identified in the record as Dr. Avila said during the discussion.
The administration told the board that the district currently employs one returning school psychologist and has several full-time positions vacant; contracted positions listed in the staff packet include partial- and full-time assignments intended to cover evaluations, interventions and behavior supports. The packet and comments to the board noted that contracted staff do not receive district benefits, paid holidays, or paid breaks the way district employees do.
The board asked about student minutes and compensatory-service liability when certificated positions are unfilled. The administration said substitutes and existing staff had been covering many duties, but that the coverage model is "not sustainable" and that leaving positions unfilled could trigger compensatory-service obligations.
Board members pressed for clarity on headcount and fiscal comparisons. The administration provided an estimated cost for an in-house psychologist (including benefits) of roughly $112,000 and explained that contracted rates appear higher on paper but omit benefits and other employer costs. Board members said those comparisons helped them weigh short-term contracting against longer-term hiring.
After discussion, the board approved the cooperative-contract approach to staff special-education positions for the coming fiscal year; the record shows the motion passed unanimously.
Board members and staff said recruiting and retention would continue, and that contracting is intended to preserve timely evaluations, IEP delivery and legal compliance while the district seeks permanent hires.
