Chico Unified special‑education update: district reports 2,298 students with IEPs and flags staffing, inclusion and placement challenges

Dr. Scola, speaking at an Oct. 2, 2024 Chico Unified Board workshop, told trustees the district’s preliminary special‑education count for the year was 2,298 students with individualized education programs (IEPs), and urged continued focus on staffing, training and program development to meet growing demand.

The presentation—delivered as an informational workshop with no vote requested—summed district staffing and service models and laid out shortfalls the special‑education team says are affecting students’ access to inclusive classes and community‑based transition opportunities. “Our number was 2,298,” Dr. Scola said when reporting the initial CBEDS day count, and added the district has “unequivocally the best special education staff” while also acknowledging strains that risk teacher and paraprofessional burnout.

Why it matters: The rising number of students with IEPs increases the workload for certificated special‑education teachers, speech and related‑services staff, and paraprofessionals. The district said demand has grown faster than enrollment overall—what was roughly 12% of enrollment a decade ago now represents about 18.5%—and that drives needs for hiring, program adjustments and potentially different budget priorities.

Key details

Staffing and programs. Dr. Scola listed site and program staffing totals, including about 49.5 elementary special‑education certificated teachers, roughly 52.6 secondary certificated teachers, 45+ designated instructional staff and a cadre of related specialists (23.8 FTE speech therapists, adaptive PE, roughly five occupational therapists and one orthopedic‑impairment specialist). Low‑frequency services (vision, physical therapy, deaf/hard‑of‑hearing) are contracted through the county office to provide coverage efficiently.

Program structure. The district now frames services as a continuum—Mild‑to‑Moderate Support Needs (MMSN) and Extensive Support Needs (ESN). Dr. Scola described co‑teaching models at Chico High, an extensive preschool inclusion effort at the Loma Vista Early Learning Center, and the new Chico Adult Transition Center (ages 18–22), which the district said has opened with multiple classes and cross‑campus collaboration.

Caseloads, training and retention. Staff noted Education Code maximum case loads of 28 for mild‑to‑moderate teachers, while ESN classes have no statutory maximum; the district aims to keep ESN classes near 12–13 for safety. Dr. Scola described professional development days (August 2023 and 2024), a monthly mentorship program for new special‑education teachers, a separate program for school psychologists and expanded training for paraprofessionals (including the intensive‑behavior team). The district reported a secondary special‑education certificated turnover of about 28% over four years versus about 10.7% among general‑education secondary staff, calling retention a major operational pressure.

Paraprofessionals and recruiting. The district said roughly 49 of approximately 350 instructional‑paraprofessional positions were open at the time of the presentation. Staff explained hiring constraints—many paraprofessional openings are part‑time (six‑hour) roles with limited benefits—which narrows the hiring pool; the district is using targeted recruitment (including Chico State pipelines and grants) and an 18‑month Chico State partnership program to create a paid pathway into credentialing for classified employees.

Placement and service gaps. For students with the most extensive needs, nearby non‑public program capacity has tightened; the district reported four students currently in Sacramento non‑public day programs, resulting in up to four‑hour daily commutes in some cases. Staff said Northern California has few open non‑public day or residential placements available, which creates difficult placement and service decisions.

Public comment. Parents and long‑time staff in public comment praised specific teachers and programs but asked the district to expand meaningful inclusion opportunities (electives, clubs, sports) for ESN students and to deepen hands‑on training and pay/support for paraprofessionals. “We need deep training so that we can do our jobs effectively, stay our jobs and love our jobs,” said Maria Seer, a 27‑year Chico Unified employee who has worked in special education.

What’s next. The workshop was informational only; board members said they would use the presentation to guide future agenda items, further data requests and potential policy or budget follow‑ups. Dr. Scola offered to provide comparative data to Butte County and SELPA partners and to bring back more specific proposals for staffing and program changes if the board requests them.

Ending: The board closed the workshop portion after public comment and moved on to other agenda items; any formal policy or budget changes would require future action by the board.