Paterson schools propose K–5 in‑district ‘public separate’ program to reduce costly out‑of‑district placements

Assistant Superintendent Cheryl Coy told the Paterson Public School District Board at its May 6 workshop that the district is proposing to reconfigure Dale Avenue as a K–5 “public separate” school beginning in the 2026–27 school year to serve students with significant disabilities and expand in‑district capacity.

Coy said the reconfiguration would provide a ‘‘full continuum of alternative placement according to code’’ and allow the district to offer more specialized classrooms and related services within Patterson rather than relying on out‑of‑district providers. ‘‘Public separate schools . . . provide fully specialized environments within the district intentionally designed to meet the unique and intense needs of students with disabilities,’’ she said.

The presentation included counts and projected demand: Coy said the district currently has 194 self‑contained classrooms (154 elementary and 40 high school), roughly 1,200 students in class support, about 1,400 resource students overall, and some 400 students placed out of district plus about 350 preschool disabled placements. She added there are approximately 118 students who were described as pending placement or as potential returns to district programs.

Coy warned of the fiscal tradeoffs if those students remain out of district: ‘‘If we were to place those 118 students out of district, we would start the 2026–27 school year off with a $9,800,000 deficit,’’ she said, noting out‑of‑district tuition rates can range widely. Coy explained the district receives roughly $24,000–$26,000 in state funding per student but pays anywhere from $35,000 to $100,000 in out‑of‑district tuition depending on placement and related services such as nursing, aides, speech, occupational therapy and transportation.

Board members pressed for operational detail. Commissioner Freeman asked how many self‑contained classrooms exist and whether staff would be available; Coy replied that HR and the business office have identified staffing needs and that funding would be reallocated to hire teachers, aides and additional behavior and related‑service supports so ‘‘we're gonna have a teacher in every class’’ for the proposed program. Coy said some medically fragile students would remain in their current placements because of medical needs.

On the projected savings, Commissioner Mendez challenged a cited $3.1 million figure; Coy said the district’s calculations vary depending on placement types and that, under some assumptions, keeping students in district could save ‘‘close to $7,000,000.’’ She emphasized the range depends on whether students are in lower‑ or higher‑cost out‑of‑district programs and on tuition increases at those providers.

Why it matters: The reconfiguration would centralize specialized services, give families access to local programs and could materially affect the district’s budget if the district can shift placements back in‑district. The board did not take a final vote on the proposal at the workshop; questions remain about facility changes, exact staffing plans and a detailed multi‑year cost analysis.

Next steps: Coy said facilities staff are working on building plans and the district will continue IEP meetings and reviews with families and an out‑of‑district coordinator to assess whether students can transition back to Patterson programs.

Sources: Presentation and Q&A with Assistant Superintendent Cheryl Coy during the May 6 workshop meeting of the Paterson Public School District Board.