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Board workshop highlights special‑education strain: staff cite higher‑need students, higher caseloads and multi‑million staffing asks
Summary
District special‑education leaders told the board EC child counts have ticked down while students’ needs have become more intensive; teachers asked for lower caseloads and more training, and staff outlined a proposal that could add dozens of EC teachers, TAs and other support positions with significant budget implications.
Special‑education leaders told the board that although the district’s overall EC child count has decreased slightly this year, the students now entering schools have higher instructional, medical and behavioral needs — a pattern that is raising per‑student costs and stressing existing staffing.
Dr. Holland, who outlined the EC support structure, said the district’s most recent child count was 7,760 (down from about 8,058 in December 2024) but added that "there are more students with higher needs" who require more intensive supports. He described a layered support model — directors, process specialists, instructional and autism coaches, and EC facilitators — and noted vacancies in several positions (for example, 25 EC…
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