Pike Township reports nearly 10% rise in special-education enrollment and staffing strains
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Summary
Jennifer Cohen, presenting to the MSD Pike Township School Board on March 26, said special-education enrollment rose to about 1,960 students — almost a 10% increase in one year — and outlined classroom expansions, CPI training and programs to recruit special-ed teachers.
Jennifer Cohen, introduced by the board as the presenter for exceptional learners, told the MSD Pike Township School Board on March 26 that special-education enrollment increased to about 1,960 students this year — roughly a 10% jump from the prior year. She said much of the growth is at the elementary and middle levels and that the district opened two additional life-skills classrooms at College Park Elementary to meet demand.
Cohen described how the district deploys a resource model (teachers or specialists who push into general classrooms or pull students into resource rooms) and credited Orton-Gillingham–based reading instruction with substantial gains: Pike moved from the bottom to fourth place among Marion County districts in the English language arts subgroup over the past three years, she said. Cohen also said special-education students at the high school are graduating at rates about 7 percentage points above the state average.
On behavior supports and safety, Cohen said the district emphasizes de-escalation and crisis-prevention training: Pike certified 87 classified staff and 65 certified staff in CPI this year and has adopted a two-year recertification cycle to improve sustainability. She said Pike provides physical-restraint training only when appropriate and ensures staff unable to complete the restraint portion still receive de-escalation instruction.
To address staff shortages, Cohen outlined two pipeline programs the district uses: ICL, which hires individuals who are completing a state-approved teacher-preparation program, and ASSET, which supports licensed teachers moving into special education. She said roughly 14 teachers have come up through the local pipeline efforts and noted that retention in Pike has been relatively strong once staff are onboarded. The district also permits registered behavior technicians (RBTs) to provide services under memoranda of understanding when those services are included in a student's individualized education program (IEP).
Board members asked detailed questions about CPI frequency, whether training is mandatory for various staff groups, and how alternate diplomas factor into postsecondary options; Cohen said alternate diplomas remain an option and that some graduates who earn them go on to technical programs or Ivy Tech, with several students already placed into postsecondary programs. Cohen concluded by noting ongoing work to tailor co-teaching professional development at the school level and to continue hiring for instructional-assistant roles.
The presentation closed with board appreciation for the staff and applause for the district's reported gains. No formal board action was taken on the presentation itself; several related staffing and budget questions were discussed during the meeting and will continue to be monitored by district leadership.
