SSD presents case‑load workload pilot; rollout slated for August

Dr. Molly Bolton, SSD chief of teaching, learning and accountability, and Alan Wheat, chief of student services, presented the final report of a one‑year pilot to develop a case‑load/workload formula intended to make special‑education staffing decisions more equitable.

The pilot began in spring 2023 and tested a set of workload variables across role types and service‑delivery models (for example, pull‑out, co‑teaching, self‑contained classrooms). The pilot sample included a small, medium and large partner district plus one SSD school; early‑childhood programs were excluded because they are grant‑funded and use different staffing rules.

Presenters said the pilot produced several practical findings. Focus‑group feedback and participant ratings supported the selected factors and thresholds for most roles; staff in the pilot generally validated whether case loads in given threshold ranges felt manageable. One notable exception was self‑contained positions, for which thresholds were adjusted after participant feedback.

The team also identified data‑quality and administrative‑burden issues. Administrators spent substantial time cleaning source records: missing or unlocked individual education program (IEP) records and misassigned service minutes led to undercounted workload inputs in some cases. Presenters gave the example that a case-load can appear underutilized if IEPs are not locked or service minutes are not assigned to the correct providers; correcting those records changes the formula output.

Bolton and Wheat emphasized that the formula is a decision‑support tool, not an absolute assignment rule: contextual factors such as geography, low‑incident programs (for example, an isolated autism classroom), or teachers who cover multiple grade‑level preparations must be considered alongside the formula’s output. Automation of source data and further work to reduce manual entry were identified as priorities to make the tool practical.

Pilot training satisfaction exceeded 80%, presenters said, and the district plans additional role‑specific training as it moves toward a systemwide rollout next year. Teachers will be able to view their own case‑load components to identify missing or incorrect records; presenters targeted an August availability for districtwide deployment and noted interest from other regional districts in adopting the approach.

Board members asked about comparability with similar districts, potential packaging or copyrighting of the tool, and operational timelines; presenters said they would share further details with board members and include follow‑up material in the Friday packet. The board’s discussion concluded with administrators confirming plans to continue refining thresholds, automate source feeds where possible, and provide training for administrators and teachers.