District staff urges new special schools, post‑high programs ahead of 3‑way split

Alpine School District special‑education staff told the school board on Oct. 14 that current special schools and post‑high programs are at capacity and that the district should establish a special school and an adult transition program in each of the three future districts created by the planned split.

The recommendation, presented by Roy Darrington, was delivered at a study session and built on roughly $6.5 million in tax‑increment investments already directed to special‑education services. Darrington said the money has allowed the district to convert $4,000,000 from one‑time or soft funding to ongoing funds for paraeducator support, add roughly $469,000 in FY25 to reduce caseloads, and add classroom‑size reductions and personnel in FY26 (including six speech‑language positions and roughly 2.5 small‑group classes). He also said the district maintains an ongoing $250,000 paraflexibility fund to respond to midyear needs.

Why it matters: Darrington framed the recommendations as both a legal and moral obligation. He cited the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and related U.S. Department of Education rules that require a continuum of least‑restrictive environments (LRE) for students with disabilities and argued that the district must ensure equity, sustainability, compliance and access as it prepares to split into three districts.

“We cannot, in good faith, stand up here and recommend anything other than that there is an independent post‑high program in every district and a special school in every district,” Darrington told the board. He said special schools serve students with the most significant cognitive, behavioral or medical needs and require unique facilities — sensory rooms, medical spaces, adaptive playgrounds, large equipment storage and transportation resources — that general‑education schools do not typically provide.

Current capacity and projections: Darrington presented current enrollments and short‑term projections for the district’s specialized sites: Dan Peterson (121 students), Horizon (72), ATEC East (152) and ATEC West (90). He said those sites are “bursting at the seams” and that growth trends (he used a 5‑year trend line) show approximately 2% year‑over‑year growth in special‑school enrollment and about 8% year‑over‑year growth in post‑high programs. Under a hypothetical 2026 split model he presented, schools would redistribute students and continue to grow; Darrington said portable classrooms would not be appropriate for many specialized programs.

Staffing and budget needs: Darrington told the board the district will need new hires whether a South special school launches in 2026 or 2027. His minimum 2026 hiring estimate included two administrators, three teachers and seven paraprofessionals; he said administrators familiar with special schools are needed both to reduce liability and to provide continuity. For a neighborhood‑inclusion staffing model at the elementary level, Darrington estimated the district would need about 181.5 special‑education elementary teacher FTEs (the district currently has roughly 176.5) and roughly 1,461 paraprofessional hours per day versus the current 1,266 hours per day.

Facilities and timeline options: Darrington offered two start‑timelines. A 2026 start would be accelerated — requiring immediate facility planning, feasibility studies, retrofit or purchase of usable buildings and quick hiring — but would provide a “soft landing” because staff and programs could be transitioned from existing schools. A 2027 start would allow more time to plan and find more appropriate long‑term facilities but would create an inequity for the South area because the other areas would retain established programs and support. Board members asked about hybrid options (short‑term usable sites while longer‑term facilities are built) and about costs; Darrington said equipment and construction costs are real and that “if we’re worried about cost, there’s not an easy way through this.”

Risks and mitigation: Darrington flagged inconsistent IEP placement practices, transportation complexity and facility inequities as principal risks. He urged a feasibility study, a pre‑split equity rubric, early hiring and a transition planning team to mitigate disruption. He said some level of disruption to students is likely during any transition and emphasized sustained family and staff engagement. “Some level of disruption will happen,” Darrington said. “I think this is a long game that we have to play that has short‑term consequences right now that we have to address.”

Board response and next steps: The board did not vote on creating new special schools during the Oct. 14 session. Superintendent Smith said next steps would include taking recommendations to the district leadership team and then assigning pieces to the finance and capital planning committees for further review; committee work would then be reported back to the full board. Darrington recommended the board authorize a regionalized special school, approve a feasibility and facility study, form a transition planning team and launch engagement with staff and families.

Public comment and community feedback: Several public commenters who attended the board meeting urged urgency. Becca Morales (SEC chair and parent) told the board she was relieved her child will remain assigned to Dan Peterson but urged the board to treat facility planning “with urgency” and perform a feasibility study soon. Sterling Hilton, a parent of a student who attends ATEC East, said he was initially skeptical of moving forward quickly but, after hearing Darrington’s capacity numbers, “it seems like it’s really important to act now in order to meet the needs of those students who are actually most vulnerable.”

What the board will decide next: District leadership suggested committees (finance and capital planning) will take the feasibility and budget work. Any appropriation or capital decision would return to the full board for action. Darrington cautioned that the district does not yet have a dollar estimate for construction, equipment and staffing and that the district’s per‑student cost for special education will remain high.

Ending: The study session closed without a binding decision on schools or timelines. Darrington and other staff urged rapid commuting of feasibility work and careful community engagement so new districts can start with compliant, equitable services for students with the highest needs.