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Special education staff and costs top Pembroke FY27 discussion; district meets compliance review
Summary
Student services presenters reported the district met DESE monitoring requirements (approx. 88% determination), described rising placement and transportation costs that drive special‑education spending, and requested additional behavioral technicians and teaching sections to meet projected student needs.
The Pembroke School Committee heard a detailed report March 31 on special education performance, placements and budget drivers as administrators prepared FY27 requests.
A student services presenter said the district was found largely compliant in the state’s integrated monitoring review and reported an overall determination around 88%, noting performance targets (MCAS/ELA in grades 4 and 8) as areas for continued improvement. The presenter said special‑education enrollment has stayed steady even as total enrollment falls, reporting approximately 519 students receiving special education services (about 21% of the student population) and about 231 Section 504 plans.
District officials reviewed major cost drivers: in‑district special‑education services, increasing public‑day and private‑day placements, residential placements (which can run from roughly $300,000 to $650,000 per year per student), and transportation. Administrators explained the circuit‑breaker reimbursement mechanism (state reimbursement applies once district spending exceeds a per‑student threshold) and that reimbursement rates vary year to year; the presenter noted the threshold for this fiscal year and that transportation reimbursement percentages had not yet been announced.
Staffing requests included hiring additional behavioral technicians (RBTs) for elementary buildings, adding sections/co‑teaching capacity at the high school and middle school to cover pullout instruction, and consideration of a coordinator for behavioral health, wellness and counseling. The presenter said one RBT position has been grant funded and the grant decision for some positions will not be known until July; committee members discussed the feasibility of converting grant‑funded positions to the general fund if grants lapse.
Next steps: the administration will return with recommended budget levels; committee members asked for spreadsheets showing grant funding, circuit‑breaker estimates and the projected costs of requested positions.
