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Superintendent apologizes for special‑education delays; district cites multimillion‑dollar deficit
Summary
District leaders apologized for missed timelines and promised outreach after staff transitions coincided with shortages in special education. The superintendent said special education currently runs an estimated roughly $4 million to $5 million annual deficit and staff are reviewing programmatic efficiencies and family outreach.
Manhattan-Ogden USD 383 administrators apologized to families and the board for missed timelines and communication problems in the district’s special‑education program and said the program is running a notable budget shortfall.
The superintendent told trustees the district lost the teaching and learning director early in the previous year, required reallocation of duties within special education, and experienced staffing shortages that left the district stretched while still legally required to provide services. He said the special‑education program is operating at an estimated deficit “in the neighborhood of $4 million to $5 million,” and the district has made addressing efficiency and consistency across buildings a priority.
Officials said they have reached out to affected families, met with representatives from the Catholic school and Flint Hills Christian School for specific cases referenced at the meeting, and are working with special‑education administration to resolve outstanding service issues. The superintendent apologized for the delays and described steps to improve communications and to create a more sustainable structure for delivering services.
Board members asked for continued outreach and clearer timelines for families; staff said they would pursue corrective steps and report back to the board. Administrators repeatedly stated they could not change what had already occurred but committed to improved processes going forward.
