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Director of special education: district will maintain pre‑K–21 continuum amid budget pressures
Summary
The district's director of special education described in‑district programs from pre‑K through age 21, ongoing staffing and services (BCBAs, related services, home instruction) and said the district is working to keep students in‑district despite cost pressures and rising home‑instruction needs.
The director of special education told the board the district maintains a full continuum of services for students with complex needs, from preschool disabled classes through IVC, LLD, self‑contained programs and WINGS services for ages 18–21.
“Because a big part of this is we want to keep our kids home,” the director said, explaining the district's approach to matching students’ individualized education programs (IEPs) with in‑district supports. She described in‑house and external evaluations, in‑district related services (occupational therapy, physical therapy, speech), and the role of BCBAs and a transition coordinator for high‑school students.
The director acknowledged rising costs for home instruction driven by medical needs and said the budget continues to fund related services, out‑of‑district placements where required, special‑education transportation and membership in a jointure commission (SBJC). She outlined staff‑level arrangements intended to preserve continuity of services even as some support positions were restructured elsewhere in the operating budget.
What happens next: The board acknowledged the complexity of special‑education budgeting and asked administration to continue monitoring service fidelity and to report back on potential impacts of any proposed operating‑budget reductions on IEP implementation and out‑of‑district placements.
