Lakeville board considers special-education resolution, asks administration to return with metrics and inclusion-week proposal

Director Kim Baker brought a drafted special-education resolution and an attached action plan to the board Oct. 28, asking the district to reaffirm its commitment to providing special-education services, to add inclusion and special-education metrics to the board dashboard, and to restore locally organized inclusion activities such as Inclusive Schools Week and associated inclusion awards.

"Employees in the Department of Special Education, which is why I specifically said that, were RIFs. They were fired," Baker said while describing the federal-level changes she cited as the impetus for local advocacy. Baker urged the board to "let people know that we're gonna continue business as usual and that this is a priority for us."

Superintendent Michael Baumann told the board the fiscal-2026 federal allocation to Minnesota has already occurred and that, "for our special ed programs, I don't see that as an issue" for FY26 as of the meeting date, while cautioning a prolonged federal shutdown could alter that outlook. "If the government were to stay shut, let's just say, till April, that might be a different response," he said.

Board members asked administration to bring more detailed recommendations. Director Amber Cameron recommended adding special-education metrics to the dashboard and suggested consulting with the district's special-education office and the Special Education advisory council before the board takes further action. Director Cameron also proposed the superintendent and cabinet evaluate rejoining the Inclusive Schools Network and bringing back an Inclusive Schools Week proclamation and communications support; administration said the network is free to join and that a district-level recommendation could be ready for the next packet.

Special-education staff (Michelle Humphreys, director of special education) and district administration committed to prepare supporting materials: a special-education support plan with staffing and revenue/expenditure details, candidate metrics for dashboard inclusion, and a recommendation on rejoining the Inclusive Schools Network and celebrating Inclusive Schools Week.

Board members emphasized two concurrent concerns: (1) continuing local services and communications that recognize inclusive practice (including working with the Family Connections parent group that has continued inclusion awards at a reduced scale), and (2) recruitment and retention of special-education staff. Administration said the district currently has open paraprofessional and licensed special-education positions and has used contracted services in some cases when direct hires were not available.

Outcome: No formal vote was taken on the resolution Oct. 28. The board directed administration to return with a clearer package of recommended dashboard metrics, staffing and funding information, and a recommendation on rejoining the Inclusive Schools Network and supporting Inclusive Schools Week.

Provenance: Draft resolution added to the agenda and discussion during Oct. 28 meeting.