Salem School District details ABC classrooms and warns capacity may be strained as autism-related needs rise

Salem

Salem School District officials outlined the district's Alternative Behavior and Communication program (ABC) on Tuesday, describing classroom practices, staffing and multi-year projections that they say could push the elementary program beyond its state-regulated capacity.

Allison Driscoll, the district's director of student services, told the board the ABC program is a state-approved self-contained educational environment intended primarily for students with level 3 autism whose disability substantially affects access to education. "ABC is a state approved self contained educational environment," Driscoll said, explaining that the program focuses on behavior and communication and uses applied behavior analysis and discrete-trial instruction to help students make progress.

The presentation emphasized why the district added a second ABC site this year (ABC North at North Salem School) and how a growing population of identified students is driving demand. Driscoll said Salem mirrors statewide trends: the district is below the state average for identified students overall but is experiencing a steep rise in autism identifications. "Our percent growth rate of students with autism in the Salem School District is 123 percent over 10 years," she said, presenting district charts and state child-count comparisons.

Why it matters: Staff framed ABC as both a safety and instructional program. Students in ABC may spend more than 60% of the school day in the setting; state regulations cap self-contained program classrooms at 12 students and expect specific staffing levels (a certified teacher per eight students, with additional paraprofessionals or co-teachers when enrollment is in the nine-to-12 range). Driscoll said that staffing supports include BCBAs, speech-language pathologists, occupational and physical therapists, registered behavior technicians (RBTs) and paraprofessionals, and that many students use augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) devices.

Teacher perspective: Megan Komondarik, this year's ABC North teacher, described minute-by-minute classroom supports: individualized instruction tied to IEP goals, visual schedules, token boards for reinforcement, adapted specials, toileting and life-skills instruction. "Inclusion is a top priority for our program," Komondarik said. "Each child will have a classroom teacher and, depending on their level of need, we'll determine how much time they spend in the classroom versus in the ABC program itself." She gave examples from two classroom videos: one verbal student accessing grade-level skills with modifications, and a nonverbal student using an AAC device to request items and participate in instruction.

Assessment and data: Staff described the assessments used to create baselines and write IEP goals: the Verbal Behavior Milestones Assessment and Placement Program (VB-MAPP) and what presenters referred to as "ABLEs" (the Assessment of Basic Language and Learning Skills, revised). Amy Grama, the district BCBA, said these are team-driven instruments that can take many hours and require input from teachers, BCBAs, speech and occupational therapists and school psychologists. "These two assessment tools are very comprehensive," she said, noting the team uses the results to set individualized program goals and instruction.

Programs beyond academics: Komondarik and Driscoll detailed life-skills and community-focused components, including an eight-week swim program in partnership with Swim Angelfish to teach water safety, a snack-cart exercise run with the high school life-skills class to teach purchasing, and sensory-friendly events such as a trunk-or-treat. Staff said most ABC students qualify for Extended School Year services (ESY) and that the district consolidates summer special-education programming at a single site.

Capacity and projections: Staff reviewed program counts and projections. The district's ABC program had one classroom (12 students) in 2023-24, grew to two classrooms (20 students) in 2024-25, and currently operates three classrooms with 26 students in 2025-26. District projections, driven by seed preschool cohorts and known transitions, show roughly 32 students in 2026-27 (of a 36-seat theoretical cap), approximately 36 students in 2027-28 (reaching current classroom capacity) and a possible 44 students in 2028-29 if current preschool cohorts hold—exceeding the 36-seat capacity if only three classrooms remain. Driscoll said those projections are based on known preschool cohorts and anticipated transitions but acknowledged unknowns such as unanticipated move-ins.

Board questions and context: Board vice chair Bernard Campbell asked whether there is a professional consensus on why identification rates are rising. Driscoll and Grama said there is no single proven cause. "I do believe it's a combination of both options," Grama said, referring to increased diagnosis/early intervention and an apparent increase in the disability category.

District planning: Staff described efforts to maintain continuity across multiple ABC locations (consultation among full ABC teams, shared related-service providers), and to site programs with neighborhood access in mind (families were offered ABC North when it aligned with students' home schools to reduce transportation burdens). Komondarik said the program aims to return students to general education when they meet criteria; the district has had graduates who transitioned out of ABC.

Formal board action: At the end of the meeting the board conducted routine business and approved a motion to adjourn. The motion to adjourn was moved by Mister Kimball, seconded by Kelly Moss and approved by voice/hand vote, recorded as 5-0.

What remains open: Staff urged continued planning for middle-school and high-school supports as cohorts advance. Woodbury (the district middle school) currently houses one ABC classroom; staff said they will monitor cohorts and staffing needs and expect to revisit capacity and budget planning as students progress toward secondary settings.

Sources and attribution: The factual descriptions and quotes above come from Salem School District staff presentations and the board's planning-session transcript on Oct. 21. Quotations are attributed to staff members by name and role as first stated in the meeting.