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District outlines therapeutic learning center expansion to bring some out‑of‑district students back
Summary
The district proposed expanding a high‑school therapeutic program to reduce costly out‑of‑district tuition and transportation; administrators said estimated first‑year savings are "close to $400,000," and described allowable sub‑separate class sizes under state regs.
Craig Davidson, the district director of special services, told the April 3 Easton School Committee the district proposes expanding the high‑school Therapeutic Learning Center (TLC) to meet an increased number of students with social‑emotional and therapeutic needs and to allow some students placed out of district to return to Easton.
Davidson said the district has tracked a long‑term increase in out‑of‑district placements and the associated tuition and transportation costs. He reviewed a historical slide showing out‑of‑district placements in fiscal 2015 numbered about 51 students, with tuition per placement ranging from roughly $34,000 to $182,000 at the time. He said transportation and tuition for out‑of‑district placements have risen substantially in the last decade.
Davidson described district accounting showing the average per‑student cost inside Easton programs at about $39,600, while the average out‑of‑district tuition cited for current placements was about $150,517. He said bringing more students into an expanded in‑district TLC could produce a one‑year savings "with estimates, close to $400,000, for year 1." (Craig Davidson)
Davidson said the proposed expansion would include increasing therapeutic staffing (moving a school adjustment counselor from 0.5 to full time and reorganizing some special‑education teacher assignments) and creating a TLC sub‑separate component to serve students whose IEPs call for more restrictive placements. He explained state rules the district is using for sizing such classrooms: a sub‑separate classroom may operate with eight students and one teacher, or up to 12 students if the class has a teacher and a paraprofessional.
Administrators said the expansion aims both to serve current Easton students who need more restrictive programming and to provide placements that would allow some out‑of‑district students to return. District leaders framed the plan as consistent with the strategic plan and said it would reduce tuition and transportation outlays over time while keeping students in the community.
District staff said details and staffing plans were still being finalized and that they would consult affected staff before implementing changes.
