Weston officials say in-district special-education investments are lowering out-of-district costs

Dr. Edwards, the district’s PPS/special-education lead, told the Board of Education the number of students qualifying for individualized education plans rose from 249 in 2018 to 323 in 2024, and 504 accommodation plans have also increased. She said that, despite growing need, the district has reduced out-of-district tuition costs each year for five years and proposes a reduction in settlement costs in the FY27 budget by expanding in-district programming.

"We have expanded and improved our in‑district programming, including initiatives like the Pathways program at the high school, to better meet the needs of our students in Weston schools and in several cases to support their return to Weston from other placements," Dr. Edwards said. She added that district staff — rather than contracted providers — now provide a larger portion of specialized services, which both enhances service quality and reduces costs.

Dr. Edwards outlined staffing levels she said are critical to those outcomes: four school psychologists districtwide (one per building), five social workers (including an additional social worker at the high school dedicated to the Pathways program), and a high‑school counselor average caseload of about 148 students (the district noted a commonly cited state recommended maximum of 250 students per counselor). She also reported roughly 185 active 504 plans at the high school.

The presentation described several specialized positions that support students in transition and vocational settings. Dr. Edwards said the transition coordinator — a position the district aims to move to full time — is currently seeing nine students in group settings and 17 individually, and that this count excludes out‑of‑district work and transition evaluations. The vocational specialist, a part‑time position, supports roughly 10 high‑needs students through job coaching, community outings and supervision at work sites and runs a student-run coffee operation at the high school.

Dr. Edwards described the Pathways program as a "school‑within‑a‑school" for students with internalizing challenges; the FY27 budget includes partial FTE for four core-content teachers who deliver instruction within that model. She said the program’s social worker is currently serving 15 students (eight receiving both group and individual counseling; seven receiving individual counseling only), and credited the program with helping bring some students back into district placements.

Board members praised the work but asked for clarifications about caseloads and which duties are captured in specific budget lines. Administration said detailed Q&A and supporting charts will be posted to the district’s budget web page after the forum and that the board must finalize its budget for submission to the town by Jan. 29.

The board does not vote on the budget tonight; staff will bring further analysis and any proposed adjustments at follow-up meetings before a final board vote.