Stoughton Area School District outlines staffing shifts, adds bilingual aide and speech pathologist amid enrollment drop

The Stoughton Area School District board on an unspecified date reviewed staffing recommendations that would add a bilingual educational assistant and a speech‑language pathologist while adjusting several positions across buildings in response to an approximate 35‑student enrollment decline.

District leaders said the changes are intended to keep core programming intact while aligning staff levels to current enrollments and district policy targets.

Superintendent-level staff framed the recommendations with the district's staffing policy (Policy 20) and cited targets rather than absolutes. Jessica (district staff member) described the targets as a planning tool that accounts for physical space, projected population and fiscal capacity. The presentation noted that the district uses a weighted caseload target of 14 to 1 for special education case management and that some positions are being proposed because of rising evaluations and caseloads.

Kelly (district staff member) described multilingual and special‑education needs as drivers of the proposals: “Our district is experiencing an increase in our multi language students, especially those whose native language is Spanish at this point in time,” and said the district is recommending hiring one bilingual educational assistant to support access to curriculum. On speech and language services, Kelly said referrals and eligibility have risen locally and statewide and the district is recommending the addition of one speech‑language pathologist to address increased caseloads: “we’re recommending an increase of 1 speech language pathologist to support the needs.”

At the high school, Kate (district staff member) said the school plans to reduce the number of study halls by instituting a flex period to provide academic supports and encourage course selection. That shift, combined with lower overall enrollment, produced a recommended 0.8 FTE increase to support additional FabLab classes. Kate said the flex period “will minimize the need for study hall and will encourage students to select courses instead.”

Program‑level changes proposed in the staffing plan include: - Add 1 bilingual educational assistant (EA) to support multilingual learners. - Add 1 speech‑language pathologist (SLP) to reduce caseload pressure. - Increase FabLab staffing by 0.8 FTE to accommodate course enrollment in place of study hall. - Convert a part‑time health position into a larger share (0.37 FTE increase) so all sixth graders take a health course as part of a rotated sixth‑grade schedule. - Reduce 1 German educator FTE and 1 FTE each at Kaganza and River Bluff based on lower pupil counts.

Kate said the proposed sixth‑grade change would remove the world‑language rotation from sixth grade but not eliminate world‑language instruction in grades 7–12: “we would continue to offer Spanish and German instruction at grades 7 through 12.” Board members raised concerns about cultural exposure if sixth‑grade language offerings are reduced; district staff said social studies and other curriculum elements would continue to support cross‑cultural learning and that families and students will be informed about world‑language options available in later grades.

Jessica (district staff member) told the board that, despite the listed reductions, administrators do not currently expect involuntary layoffs of permanently contracted staff because of anticipated vacancies, retirements and temporary contracts. She also said the German FTE cited in the presentation is presently unfilled and has been covered through a contractor while the district recruits.

The board did not take final action at the meeting. District staff said the staffing recommendations will return for potential action at the next scheduled board meeting on March 17 with formal language for discussion and vote.