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District reports inclusion gains, adds staff to support special-education inclusion
Summary
Special education leadership reported increased inclusion (about 85% of students accessing general education settings), growth in specialized staff from ~32 to 61, and plans for an inclusion task force and parent advisory committee; staff requested more time for training and collaborative planning.
Armand (director of special education) told the board on March 12 that the district has shifted from separate special day classes toward more inclusive services in general education settings and has increased special-education staffing to support the transition.
Staff reported a local inclusion rate of roughly 85% of students accessing general-education settings for most of the day, above the state benchmark cited for many students. To meet growing needs the district has increased staff from about 32 positions to 61, adding roles such as district support specialists, additional BCBAs, mental-health specialists, occupational therapists and a temporary assessment position to handle a surge in student evaluations.
The director outlined the district support team's referral-based model, listed recent activity metrics (site trainings, referrals, student assessments and classroom observations), and summarized staff-survey feedback: some teachers reported improved awareness and strategies, while others cited inconsistent communication, insufficient training time, behavioral challenges and inconsistent support staffing as barriers.
Next steps include creating an inclusion task force, forming a special-education parent advisory committee, standardizing training for paraprofessionals, and increasing on-site coaching and collaborative planning time. Board members asked for the presentation slides to be shared for further review.
