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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 alone was, over a $100,000 for educational and $300,000 for residential portion," staff said when explaining the fiscal rationale.
Legal context and need: Dr. Weisz referenced the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and the district’s obligation to provide a least-restrictive environment. Staff said when students reach the most restrictive LRE, the district is required to consider nonpublic placements and that doing so frequently creates both legal exposure and high costs. Board members pressed staff for evidence of past placements and space; staff said the district had identified space in Snow Hill-area schools and emphasized the district’s five years of local RISE data at middle and high school levels.
Costs and implementation: Tolbert presented $602,000 in the special-education category tied to the RISE expansion (not including $124,800 in fixed charges for associated salary-related costs). Staff said the district prefers to run the program in-house based on past experience and outcome data rather than contracting out. The presentation noted that returning students from residential placements to district-run RISE programs had positive outcomes in prior cases.
Board questions and staff responses: Board members asked whether the program is a Worcester County initiative (staff: yes, it is district-run), whether space existed (staff: space identified in Snow Hill area), and whether the district has sufficient trained staff (staff: current RISE staffing has five years of data and professional development will be part of implementation).
Next steps: The RISE expansion remains a proposed line item in the FY27 budget pending final adoption; staff indicated some details including exact staffing counts, classroom locations and final cost allocations will be provided in follow-up materials and in subsequent sessions.
