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School staff propose in-district ABA-informed cohort and program review to reduce expensive out-of-district placements
Summary
District staff reported a comprehensive special-education program review and proposed an ABA-informed K–2 cohort to serve students with severe needs in-district; staff cited out-of-district tuition estimates of $116,000–$168,000 per student and a 30-day trial of a behavior-analysis software platform.
Student-services staff told the School Committee they are launching a comprehensive program review (last completed in 2017) that will examine enrollment trends, specialized-program needs and staff support models. The review will sample 26 student records (two per grade), include on-site observations (planned for Jan. 13 and Jan. 17) and conclude with a written report to the district.
Staff described efforts to reinvigorate CPAC (the special-education parent advisory) and said families have raised concerns about the district’s approach to inclusion. To address a small but significant cohort of K–2 students with severe needs, staff proposed creating an ABA-informed cohort (three to five students) staffed by teachers with ABA/RBT training and supported by the district BCBA; the plan aims to reduce expensive out-of-district placements.
The presentation included specific cost context: staff said sending five students out of district could cost roughly $116,000 to $168,000 per student plus transportation, creating a strong fiscal and educational argument for building in-district capacity when feasible. Staff also reported a signed 30-day trial with ACE, a behavior-analysis technology provider, to support goal-setting, curriculum suggestions and behavior data analysis for a small set of pilot teachers.
Committee members asked about maintaining cohorts as students age, partnerships with neighboring districts and whether in-district programs could encourage families to return to Rockport schools. Staff said the aim is to keep more students in their home district where appropriate and to build capacity iteratively, acknowledging that some placements will remain out of district in specific cases.
Next steps: the program review will proceed with records sampling and on-site observations; staff will report findings and recommendations to the committee when the review concludes.
