Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Staffing Budget Special Ed topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Gallatin County board reviews 2026–27 staffing plan, seeks special‑education hires while saving on vacant post
Summary
Administrators presented a draft 2026–27 staffing plan that would add 0.5 FTE special‑education capacity at a lower elementary school and create a school‑psychologist position funded in part by expanded Medicaid billing; the board discussed offsets including abolishing a vacant preschool coordinator role.
Administrators asked the Gallatin County Board of Education on March 17 to approve targeted staffing changes for the 2026–27 school year aimed at addressing a rising special‑education population and expanding student support services.
The superintendent and special‑education staff said the district’s reporting now shows about 17% of students qualifying for special‑education services, up from approximately 9% in earlier submissions, and that the district expects to receive fuller SEEK and IDEA funding tied to corrected seat counts. Special‑education lead Nicole (staff member) told the board that lower elementary has one‑and‑a‑half special‑education teachers and is projected to need an additional 0.5 FTE to avoid exceeding recommended caseloads.
Why it matters: the district argued the staffing changes would reduce caseload pressure on current teachers, allow better compliance with service requirements, and free federal Medicaid billing opportunities. Administrators said KDE granted access to expanded Medicaid billing that allows the district to bill for some psychological services and noted a requested school‑psychologist position carries an estimated salary of about $94,000, but could be partially offset by the new billing authority.
Board discussion focused on affordability and funding sources. District leaders proposed abolishing a vacant preschool‑coordinator position (previous salary roughly $45,000) and redirecting that and other savings to the psychologist hire. The superintendent said the preschool coordinator resigned and the board could eliminate that position rather than refill it, producing an immediate budget offset. Staff emphasized that if grant or billing revenue later fell short the general fund would cover any ongoing obligations.
Members also debated a principal’s recurring request for an additional kindergarten teacher and supporting aide. Administrators said projected kindergarten enrollment was near 88 students (four classes) with current class sizes around 22–23 and noted open enrollment begins July 1; the board signaled willingness to revisit staffing in August as enrollment finalized rather than approve a pre‑emptive hire now.
The board asked staff to return with formal job descriptions, funding sources, and a clearer projection of SEEK/IDEA revenue before final action. Staff said they would present a formal motion and budget attachment at a subsequent meeting once state budget signals and final seat counts were confirmed.
Next steps: the board requested refined cost and funding information, including projected SEEK/IDEA adjustments and Medicaid billing estimates, and deferred final hiring approvals pending that report.
