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Board recommends no limits on regular open enrollment, sets special‑education space caps and moves to administer Youth Risk Behavior Survey
Summary
Administrators recommended no caps on regular‑education open enrollment for 2025–26 while setting special‑education capacity limits (projected 0 elementary cross‑categorical spots, 1 middle school spot, 13 high‑school spots); a board member moved to approve administration of the Youth Risk Behavior Survey to eighth‑grade and high‑school students.
District administrators told the board the annual statewide open‑enrollment application window opens in February and recommended that the board set no limits on regular‑education open enrollment for 2025–26, citing the district's declining enrollment and the district's practice of rolling over currently attending open‑enrolled students into the next grade.
On special education, staff explained the capacity calculation is more constrained: with projected enrollments and staffing, the district reported 0 available cross‑categorical elementary slots, 1 available middle‑school slot and 13 available high‑school slots for next year. Administrators said filling specialized positions (school psychologists, paraprofessionals and other special‑education staff) is difficult and that those staffing constraints are a core reason to limit special‑education open‑enrollment acceptances.
The board discussed how preferences and guarantees work under district policy: students currently attending on open enrollment are guaranteed, siblings of open‑enrolled students receive preference, and families can opt students out of certain confidential surveys. Staff described how they track accepted applications for special‑education spaces using an internal spreadsheet to ensure capacity limits are not exceeded.
On the Youth Risk Behavior Survey, a board member moved to approve administration of the middle‑school (eighth grade) and high‑school surveys for 2025, referencing enclosures that detail the survey and optional questions on adversity and protective factors. Administrators said participation is by implied consent and that parents may opt their children out by contacting the school counselor. Board discussion clarified that, in this district, sixth‑ and seventh‑grade students do not participate but that other districts use the same survey instruments differently.
The meeting packet contained related materials including space‑determination charts, special‑education capacity notes and contact information for counselors who handle opt‑outs. The board recorded multiple consent‑agenda approvals later in the meeting (roll‑call recorded affirmative votes from listed members) for co‑ops and personnel items; the Youth Risk Behavior Survey motion was made on the record and will be acted on according to district procedure.
