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Pullman highlights growth in special education, expands staff and curriculum with REI grant support
Summary
Special education staff told the board that special-education enrollment has risen by about 100 students over five years; REI grant funds supported STAR Autism, True Measure, and Amalable Consulting training, and the district plans to add a teacher at CAMIAC and buy Teachtown curriculum for transition-to-adulthood programming.
Dom, who presented the district's special-education update on June 10, said the district has seen steady growth in special-education enrollment over the past five years and estimated an increase of about 100 students across that span.
Dom described how REI grant funds from OSPI were used this year for three primary professional-development efforts: two full days of STAR Autism Support training plus two on-site coaching visits at the CAMIAC developmental learning center (DLC); continued partnership with the True Measure Collaborative to strengthen whole-program supports at Lincoln Middle School and Franklin; and consulting with Amalable Consulting to build instructional methodology and staff capacity in intensive programs.
Dom said the STAR implementation produced substantial increases in student engagement at CAMIAC, "about 50% or more" compared with prior measures, and that the grant-funded coaching helped refine classroom implementation. He said True Measure helped staff shift toward more positive instructional language and better whole-program alignment.
Dom told the board that the DLC caseload doubled this year. To respond to caseload growth, the district will add a second special-education teacher to allow K— cohorts (one teacher serving K—, the other serving grades 3—). The district also plans to adopt the Teachtown curriculum at Pullman High School to develop a transition-to-adulthood track for ages 18—22 and to better align special-education content with core academic standards so students can continue to earn credits.
Board members asked clarifying questions about how the additional staffing will be deployed; Dom said the intent is cohort continuity and stronger implementation of STAR autism supports and the new curriculum. No formal personnel actions were taken on June 10; Dom's presentation framed recommended program-level changes for the coming year.
