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Ralston Public Schools highlights special-education progress and plans preschool changes
Summary
District student-services leadership told the board it closed a federal compliance indicator, is working to close a second, and will change preschool ratios and pilot an inclusive deaf/hard-of-hearing preschool classroom to improve services and compliance.
The Ralston Public Schools student-services presenter told the board the district has closed one federal special-education compliance indicator and is continuing work to address another while rolling out new tools and preschool changes aimed at improving services.
"I just found out on Friday that we have closed out indicator 13," the student-services presenter said, and added the district is still working to close indicator 11. The presenter said the work required new procedures, training and documentation changes that are already in motion.
The update framed the compliance work as part of a larger push to strengthen special-education systems. The presenter said the district serves roughly 718 students from kindergarten through age 21 in special education and reviewed how resources are organized across early childhood, elementary, middle and high school programs. She listed contracted partners that provide specialized services (for example, PT/OT and speech) and said the district will continue to rely on some outside contracts while building internal capacity.
To support staff and reduce paperwork errors, the presenter described several operational changes: converting a static procedures binder into a live Google site for staff, creating an IEP-focused walkthrough and documentation tool for building administrators, and establishing a special-education advisory committee to meet regularly on paperwork quality, assistive technology and programmatic alignment. She also introduced a "goal book" toolkit that guides staff through writing present levels, ambitious IEP goals aligned to grade-level standards, and progress-monitoring strategies.
"We have a profound responsibility to ensure that every child ... receives the highest opportunity to meet their full potential," she said, describing training, monitoring and coaching the district will continue to use to sustain compliance and instruction.
The presenter also reviewed early-childhood programming and announced changes to preschool delivery intended to improve inclusion and peer-model ratios. The district plans blended classrooms that will invite some 3‑year-olds into 4‑year‑old classrooms and move all preschool programming to a Monday–Thursday schedule; the presenter said the shifts are intended to balance peer-model ratios while preserving access to 3‑year‑old services. She also announced a pilot inclusive/co-taught deaf and hard-of-hearing preschool classroom with two certified staff and peer models, noting the classroom will continue to be intensive-language capable but add inclusive features.
The presenter described the work as a "puzzle" of staffing, ratios and family communication and said preliminary class lists will be shared with families this summer, with finalized lists in August. She asked the board to support the district’s training and rollout plan so the changes can be implemented next school year.
The presenter closed by saying the district will continue progress monitoring and professional development and will return with more detailed implementation timelines and results from pilot curriculum work.
The board did not record a separate formal action on the special-education presentation during the segment; the presenter’s materials and the advisory work were described as ongoing next steps.
