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Board reviews special-education staffing plan with targeted increases and ongoing vacancies
Summary
The district proposed targeted staffing increases for special education for 2026–27 — including +4 teachers, +13.5 instructional assistants, +6.5 speech-language pathologists — while reporting open vacancies (27.6 teacher vacancies as of June 3). The plan will be posted for 30-day review.
Chief Academic Officer Jackie Jacobs and Special Education Supervisor Janet Stephenson presented the special-education staffing plan for 2026–27, describing program-driven increases and vacancy management. The plan adds four special-education teachers, 13.5 instructional assistants, 6.5 speech-language pathologists, one behavior specialist, and small increases in therapy positions; staff explained the additions are tied to program growth (including two new primary regional classrooms). "This model provides us a balance between consistency across schools and the flexibility to adjust staff based on individual IEP needs," the presenter said.
Jacobs and Stephenson also described vacancies and hiring efforts: as of June 3 the plan cited 27.6 teacher vacancies and 16.5 instructional assistant vacancies, with recent hiring progress that reduced teacher vacancies to 22 as of the day before the meeting. The plan will be posted for 30-day public review and will incorporate feedback from the Special Education Citizens Advisory Committee (CCAC) and subsequent public input before final approval.
