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Santa Paula Unified details special‑education services, staffing and savings as caseload rises
Summary
District director Dr. Lawrence told the board the district serves 866 students with IEPs and outlined program models, vendor strategies and recent cost reductions after bringing some services in‑house.
Dr. Lawrence, the district’s special‑education director, offered the board a detailed fiscal and program overview of special education in Santa Paula Unified, saying the district currently serves 866 students with individualized education programs and uses a continuum of supports ranging from general‑education co‑teaching to extensive‑needs classrooms.
In a presentation the director summarized the district’s related services (speech and language, occupational and physical therapy, adapted physical education and behavior analysts), described how the district determines placements under federal IDEA and California education code criteria, and explained the role of IEP teams and the least‑restrictive‑environment principles that guide placement decisions. He also noted that 33 students attend specialized programs through the Ventura County Office of Education.
On the fiscal side, Dr. Lawrence said the district has negotiated to bring some contracted services in‑house and identified roughly $200,000 in recurring annual savings after transitioning certain mental‑health and BCBA services. He described three vendor categories—staffing vendors to fill hard‑to‑hire positions, nonpublic school/placement contracts, and specialized services such as transportation and translation—and said the district is exploring direct shared staffing arrangements with neighboring districts for low‑incidence services.
Dr. Lawrence also reviewed revenue streams tied to special education: Medi‑Cal reimbursements (noting $1.1 million in 23–24 actuals and an increase to about $1.6 million in 24–25), state and federal allocations, and a roughly 60% state reimbursement for home‑to‑school transportation. He told trustees that, on average statewide, the cost per special‑education student has risen (he cited a statewide average of about $25,000 per special‑education student and noted it was closer to $18,000 in 2019). The director said the district’s general‑fund contribution to special education remains significant but is comparable to state averages when conservatively budgeted.
Trustees pressed for additional data and historical comparison on Medi‑Cal revenue and asked for follow‑up documentation; Dr. Lawrence said he would provide supplemental figures. A public commenter from the Autism Society of Ventura County urged the board to preserve essential elements of COEDS if the district transitions the wraparound program in‑house and supported use of independent translators for IEP meetings.
The presentation closed with trustees thanking special‑education staff, noting recent strategic staffing changes, and encouraging continued monitoring of costs and service quality.
