District reports 282 students receiving special education services, early‑childhood caseloads increased

Lindsay, a district special‑education staff member, told the board the Annandale Public School District's December 1 child‑count showed 282 students in kindergarten through 12th grade receiving special education services, representing 14.4 percent of the district's enrollment.

"As of December 1, our enrollment was 1,955. We had 282 kids in grades K through 12 receiving special ed services and that percentage put us at 14.4 percent," Lindsay said, summarizing the district's internally compiled chart.

Lindsay explained that the district's early‑childhood special education (ECSE) program had 59 students on Dec. 1 (including some speech‑only students), up from 48 the prior year, and that current ECSE teachers carried case loads of roughly 18–19 students each. She said those caseloads typically start lower at the beginning of the school year and can become more manageable by the next fall; she projected next year's starting loads nearer 13 per teacher.

Conversely, Lindsay noted the birth‑to‑3 population counted on Dec. 1 was 10 this year, down from 18 the prior year. She attributed part of historical fluctuation to evaluation and re‑evaluation processes and noted the district hired the staff member who handles most evaluations in January 2018, which helped clarify ongoing needs.

Lindsay said the child‑count reports aggregate data from multiple member districts and include resident students who are open‑enrolled elsewhere; percentages reported in the Maseko (regional) aggregate ranged from roughly 16 to 23.5 percent across districts, with Annandale at 18.1 percent on one member‑district measure and 14.4 percent when counting students physically served in the district.

Ending: Board members asked no substantive follow‑up questions after Lindsay's presentation; staff said they will continue to monitor caseloads and transitions from birth‑to‑3 into ECSE services.