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Special-education leaders tell board caseloads and evaluations have risen; district reports decreased suspensions and expanded PBIS work
Summary
Special-education staff told the board identification and evaluation volume has grown and that the department served substantially more students over the year than appear on the December 1 count; presenters also described declines in recorded discipline incidents and increased use of detention in place of suspension.
Special-education leaders and teaching-and-learning staff presented a multi-part report to the Geary County Schools Board about program growth, compliance indicators and discipline trends.
Nut graf: Presenters said the district’s December 1 special-education count (used for some state reporting) understates the number of students who receive services over the course of a school year. They flagged increased evaluation volume (682 evaluations in the prior year), growth in some disability categories (autism, developmental disability, other health impairment), pressure on school psychologists and paraprofessional workloads, and a shift in discipline practice toward detention rather than out-of-school suspension.
Key data and takeaways - December 1 vs. annual served: The district reported a December 1 special-education count of 1,437 for 2023–24, but said 2,033 students received special-education services at some point during that school year. Staff said the gap—roughly 600 students—reflects transient students, short-term placements and students served in juvenile or alternative settings. - Evaluations and staffing: The district reported 682 evaluations performed in the most recent year and said school psychologists’ caseload pressure drove a recent hiring action to add more psychological services staff. - Disability prevalence: Presenters said prevalence rates for autism (AM), developmental disability (DD) and other health impairment (OHI) have increased locally over the last several years; overall IDEA prevalence for the district reported near 19% (higher than a cited national average of about 15%). Gifted identification remains low (about 0.93%) and district leaders said state policy constraints and test-based cutoffs contribute to that result. - Discipline and PBIS: The board heard that fall-to-fall comparisons show declines in misbehavior incidents and that the district increased detention use while suspensions decreased. Presenters credited PBIS implementation, district professional development, MANT de-escalation training and building-level attendance/discipline plans.
Quotes and clarifications Courtney (special-education presenter) described the operational burden: "The difference between our December 1 count and how many students we actually serve in a year is significant. In 23–24 we counted 1,437 on our federal day, but the amount that went through our doors was 2,033." Presenters emphasized that caseload churn—students moving in and out in short spells—adds administrative and case-management workload beyond what a single-day count shows.
State compliance and monitoring Presenters noted the district has engaged with state technical assistance (TASN) reviews in response to previous ESI (emergency safety intervention) and disproportionality concerns, completed recommended trainings and avoided re-identification this cycle but must continue work to meet state expectations. The presentation noted that Wichita recently eliminated seclusion and restraint after state review; district staff said they are under active state scrutiny and that ESI use is tightly regulated.
Next steps Special-education leaders listed action steps: continue early-childhood identification and screening (Part C and Part B activities), pursue professional development on early-childhood outcomes, monitor staffing and budget allocations tied to categorical aid, expand parent outreach and grow district gifted identification through eligibility criteria and assessment strategies.
