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Meridian district reports 25% rise in students with IEPs; officials warn of staffing, funding strains
Summary
District special‑education leaders told the board that Meridian’s count of students with individualized education programs rose from about 199 in 2018‑19 to 253 on Nov. 1, raising staffing and service‑delivery challenges amid legal changes and growing non‑academic needs.
Meridian School District’s special‑education leader told the board on Nov. 20 that the district has seen a roughly 25% increase in students eligible for special education services since 2018‑19, and that the trend is straining staff and program capacity.
The director, speaking to the board during the district program reports, said the district’s Nov. 1 count showed about 253 students with IEPs compared with roughly 199 in 2018‑19. The director identified speech‑language pathology and occupational therapy among the areas with the most growth and said teams are also seeing students qualify primarily for executive‑functioning and behavioral supports rather than academic needs.
Why it matters: the director said the caseload increase and growing complexity — students who require multiple services such…
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