District 11 spotlights Inclusion Support Program after officials cite drops in behavioral incidents and fewer out-of-district placements

Superintendent Goll introduced a program spotlight on the district’s Inclusion Support Programs, which launched in 2023 and are now offered in several schools across Colorado Springs School District 11.

Deirdre (executive director-level presenter) told the board the center-based ISP model was created after the district concluded a neighborhood-only model made it difficult to sustain specialized staffing and training. She said the program now includes strands for students with autism, programs focused on ‘effective needs’ for behavioral regulation, and services supporting students with extended evidence outcomes. “So far to date, we’ve served 64 students in these programs,” Deirdre said, and reported measurable changes after placement: “within the first semester of a student being in a program, we see a 23% reduction in documented behavioral incidents and a 20% increase in academic achievement.”

Robin Moore, principal at Edison Elementary, described classroom integration and peer supports in her school’s ISP classroom, noting students were paired with kindergarten buddies and included in specials such as art and PE.

A videotaped parent testimony described the family experience at the Stratton ISP. In that clip, a parent said their child David, who is autistic, benefited from academic and life-skills supports and Friday community outings, and that the family was “incredibly blessed to have landed in the ISP program.”

Parent Steve Duff spoke in person about his family’s experience with out-of-district placements. Duff said his son was previously placed at an outside facility (Roundup/RISE) after neighborhood schools could not meet his needs, and that returning him to a North Middle program produced meaningful gains: “After 6 months in that school, he no longer has a behavioral therapist with him. He attends school on his own and is doing that independently and very happily every single day,” Duff said, urging the board to allocate funds toward in-district supports rather than expensive out-of-district placements.

Administration presented program metrics and staffing strategies the district uses to expand capacity, including the master-teacher model (extended contracts, mentoring responsibilities) and creative staffing such as temporary hires with registered behavior training to reduce wait lists. Deirdre said the district is tracking outcomes and trying to avoid wait lists by hiring or flooding supports into home schools while a placement is arranged.

Board members asked about capacity and admissions timing. Deirdre said capacity varies by site: sometimes staff exist to enroll immediately, other times the district must hire additional staff; the district is experimenting with expedited onboarding and temporary staffing solutions.

The board applauded staff and families and directed administration to continue building the program and report updates. The program spotlight concluded with students Tristan and Jack thanking teachers for their help and describing classroom growth.