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Centennial SD proposes moving autistic‑support classrooms in‑house at Davis, administration says in‑house model could save money
Summary
District leaders told the board they will seek approval March 24 to transfer two autistic‑support classrooms from the intermediate unit into Centennial (Davis Elementary), offering current IU teachers right of first refusal and proposing additional staff (one more teacher, 14 registered behavior technicians, and a BCBA) if enrollment requires a third classroom. Administration presented projected cost comparisons and identified staffing as the main risk.
District leaders asked the Centennial School District board to consider a transfer-of-entity proposal to bring two autistic‑support classrooms currently administered by the county intermediate unit (IU) into the district at Davis Elementary.
The board was told the administration will request board-level approval at the March 24 meeting to extend right‑of‑first‑refusal offers to the two current IU classroom teachers and to authorize hiring a third classroom teacher if early‑intervention enrollment requires it. Administration said early‑intervention intake shows roughly 90 students entering the district and that 25 of them have already been identified with autism; the district said that enrollment pattern could require a third classroom at Davis.
Administration described an in‑house staffing model that would include the two classroom teachers (if they accept the district's right‑of‑first‑refusal offer), roughly 14 registered behavior technicians (RBTs) and one board‑certified behavior analyst (BCBA) to supervise RBTs. The presenter said the RBTs and BCBA work model would reduce 1:1 staffing ratios and increase efficiency, letting an RBT serve multiple students as they gain skills through regular BCBA supervision.
Administration compared projected costs under the IU tuition model and the proposed in‑house model; in the meeting transcript the presenter said the IU plans to raise tuition by 8.4% next year and gave example total costs that were spoken rapidly and with unclear numeric formatting in the transcript. The presenter said the district's in‑house estimate would be lower than continuing with the IU and described a multi‑component staffing and related‑services plan. "We are prepared to deliver the same product with appropriate staffing," the presenter said, adding that they believe the district could provide improved effectiveness while capturing financial savings.
Board members asked how the decision would be made and when the district would begin offering positions. Administration replied that if the board approves the transfer-of-entity actions on March 24, district staff would meet with the two teachers within five days, those teachers would have 10 days to accept or decline, and hiring and IEP‑team follow‑up would begin thereafter. The administration flagged staffing as the principal risk: recruiting sufficient qualified personnel for specialized classrooms is the main operational concern, though administrators said recruitment is already underway through job fairs and targeted outreach.
Board members raised practical follow‑ups, including whether the IU might sell equipment or "toys" rather than move them, which could reduce classroom‑setup costs. Administration said that option would be pursued. The board did not take the transfer item for a vote at this meeting; administration will present formal board action language and associated budget requests at the March 24 meeting.
The presenter repeatedly characterized the proposal as an "IP decision" (IEP teams and family-centered) and emphasized that families and IEP processes would guide individual placements and services.
