District proposes restoring instructional and special-education staff as enrollment pressures rise

Administration told the Budget and Finance Committee the district’s top staffing goals for 2026–27 include reinstating three instructional facilitators at each elementary school (full-time), two assistant principals (Cowwin and the 9th-grade academy), two special-education positions (likely central-office roles providing school support), eight academic interventionists, seven general-education teachers, four education teachers, two English-language-learner teachers, 15 additional instructional assistants and a K–12 science supervisor.

Darnell Deans, chief of operations, said the additional special-education support would improve coverage across elementary schools where one staff member had been responsible for many buildings. "One person servicing eight elementary schools is very very challenging ... we probably could provide better support to schools if we had one person supporting four schools and another person supporting four elementary schools," Deans said.

Committee members asked whether special-education clerical and registration staff would be added; administration said the registration office had not been reduced and the proposed budget did not create additional registration-office positions, though one of the reinstated special-education roles could be cross-pollinated to assist administrative tasks as needed.

Members also asked about the science supervisor’s duties; staff said the supervisor would oversee review and alignment of K–12 science curriculum, ensure it meets state/national standards, coordinate teacher training and serve as a point of contact for the intermediate unit and the state.

No final personnel actions were taken during the committee meeting; staffing restorations are part of the proposed 2026–27 budget to be presented to the full board.