District outlines pilot plan for new behavior program; administrators urge measured rollout

District administrators updated the board on the behavior program and proposed piloting supports at several schools next year while gathering data and avoiding a wholesale, immediate districtwide switch to a single external model.

A district presenter said the committee has been meeting and plans to pilot the program at schools that need it most. "We're hoping to pilot at least a couple of schools that need it the most... we're not gonna be able to have everybody have that behavior program in place next year," the presenter said.

The staffing approach discussed would repurpose existing project-based-learning positions in larger elementary schools to serve as behavior leads, rather than adding net new positions. Administrators stressed the program is not a special-education substitute and that students with IEPs would continue to receive required supports.

Board members raised questions about consistency across buildings; some schools currently use different curricula and frameworks (Second Step, Social Institute, Character Strong/PBIS). A district leader said the board should begin with state social-emotional learning standards and then determine what common elements can be adopted across schools, rather than immediately forcing a single external model.

Next steps: staff will continue committee work, bring back pilot school selection and program details at the Jan. 30 meeting (committee timeline), and gather implementation cost/space needs; where modular space is needed, the district will identify options and any furnishing needs.