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JUHSD highlights growth in special education and STEP therapeutic programs, flags timeline compliance issues
Summary
District directors told the board that special education enrollment rose from about 470 to 515 students and emphasized expanding in‑district therapeutic 'STEP' placements as nonpublic options shrink; presenters said timelines for annual/triennial IEPs are the district’s primary compliance concern.
The Jefferson Union High School District on Tuesday told trustees that special education enrollment has risen and that the district is investing in in‑district therapeutic placements to reduce reliance on shrinking nonpublic school options.
“We had about 470 students with IEPs in spring 2024; today that number is 515,” Lee Medov, co‑director of special education, told the board during a department update. Medov said about 120 students are in extensive‑needs programs and roughly 20 are in the district’s therapeutic programs, while the adult transition program currently enrolls 39 students and could reach about 80 within four years if all eligible students participate.
Grace Ventura, Medov’s co‑director, outlined the STEP therapeutic model the district is using at Westmore and Teranova high schools. “These therapeutic programs allow our students to remain in their community, making progress toward a diploma alongside their peers,” Ventura said, describing classrooms staffed by a teacher, paraprofessionals, a licensed therapist and a registered behavior technician (RBT).
Presenters said the district has strengthened operational supports — hiring a dedicated clinical supervisor and establishing standing team meetings — and is renaming and branding programs to create consistent services across sites. They reported about 95% retention among special education staff and roughly 120 department employees overall.
Board members pressed presenters on classroom roles, caseloads and capacity. Medov and Ventura said program capacity was deliberately constrained for quality: contract caseload caps for clinicians run to about 15 and the working capacity estimate discussed at the meeting was roughly 13 students per STEP site. The board heard that strong staffing and on‑site supports make in‑district placement a viable alternative as certified nonpublic school (NPS) options become less available in the region.
On compliance, the directors said the district’s Annual Determination Letter from the California Department of Education shows JUHSD is not disproportionate in special education identification but it is out of compliance on timelines for annual and triennial IEPs. “An IEP is late if it’s held 365 days or later,” Medov said, describing timeline non‑compliance as procedural and explaining the district has implemented supports — program specialists and scheduling protocols — to reduce future late meetings.
Trustees praised program staff and urged continued focus on staffing, referrals, and keeping placements in the least restrictive environment. The board did not take formal action on program changes at this meeting; the presentation closed with a commitment to continue monitoring enrollment, capacity and compliance work.
The district directors’ presentation and trustee Q&A are expected to inform future budget and staffing decisions and to guide referrals between Teranova and Westmore STEP sites.
