Interim assistant superintendent outlines rising special-education needs, recommends program and staffing adjustments

Lisa Castaldo, interim assistant superintendent for Pupil Personnel Services (PPS), told the board that the district is seeing rising numbers and deeper needs among students requiring special-education services and recommended adjustments to programs and clinical staffing to meet demand.

Castaldo described the PPS portfolio and emphasized the department’s role in foundational student supports, saying much of PPS’s work aligns with ensuring students have the safety and services they need before academic instruction can be effective. ‘‘A good way to think about what PPS does is… Maslow before Bloom,’’ she said.

Key numbers Castaldo gave the board: - Preschool special-education (CPSC) enrollments and referrals are rising; the district’s CPSC count was 292 with 28 pending referrals at the time of the report. She reported that approximately 40…