Kohler School District reports 89% LEA determination and top county Forward results for students with disabilities

Andrea Walter, who presented the district's annual special-education outcomes, told the Kohler School District board that the program currently serves nearly 70 students ages 3 to 18 and is staffed by three cross-categorical teachers, five program aides, one districtwide speech-language pathologist and a 40% occupational therapist.

Walter said the district's LEA determination score for the prior school year was 89 percent, which places the district in the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction's "meets requirements" category. She cautioned that the LEA determination combines compliance and results across roughly 17 indicators, some of which are historically difficult to achieve full points on for small districts.

Board members asked how that percentage compared with other districts; Walter said she did not have district-by-district comparisons available and could only report trends for Kohler over time. She identified indicator 6A (services for three- to five-year-olds in early childhood settings) as one that has been hard to score highly in smaller districts because enrollment in early childhood programs can be limited.

Walter also summarized academic results, saying Kohler placed highest in the county on the 2024'25 Forward exam (both ELA and math) among students with disabilities. She described program goals that focus on independent-living and transition skills, postsecondary preparation, evidence-based interventions and strong attention to self-advocacy.

The board thanked Walter for the presentation and asked for follow-up materials to include any statewide comparison data if it becomes available and clarifications about preschool placements and how the district supports transition planning for older students.