Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Board hears plan to expand RISE program to elementary schools to keep students in-district
Summary
District staff proposed expanding the RISE program to elementary schools to provide trauma-informed supports, citing legal obligations under IDEA and cost savings compared with out-of-county residential placements; the special-education line shows $602,000 (plus $124,800 in fixed charges) for the proposal. Board members asked about space, staffing and proof of need.
District officials asked the Worcester County Board of Education to approve funding in the FY27 proposed budget to expand the RISE intervention program to elementary grades so students with intensive social-emotional needs can receive services in-district.
Vince Tolbert introduced the request and Dr. Weisz and other staff described the program’s intent: to provide restorative, trauma-informed supports and avoid costly out-of-district residential placements. Staff cited recent examples where a single out-of-county placement involved more than $400,000 in combined educational and residential costs. "That bill…
Already have an account? Log in
Subscribe to keep reading
Unlock the rest of this article — and every article on Citizen Portal.
- Unlimited articles
- AI-powered breakdowns of topics, speakers, decisions, and budgets
- Instant alerts when your location has a new meeting
- Follow topics and more locations
- 1,000 AI Insights / month, plus AI Chat
