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SFUSD and SFCOE outline new county program to serve students with extensive support needs locally
Summary
The district and county office presented a phased plan to open an Extensive Support Needs (ESN) self-contained program to reduce reliance on nonpublic out-of-city placements; initial capacity will be two classrooms (16 seats) with planned expansion to four classrooms (32 seats) in year two.
Superintendent Hsu and special-education leaders told the board that SFUSD, in partnership with the San Francisco County Office of Education, will open a county program serving students with extensive support needs (primarily autism and intellectual disability) to keep students closer to home. Jenny Payne described evidence-based design elements: high staff-to-student ratios, behavior-informed supports (ABA strategies focused on generalization and pragmatic communication), sensory-regulation environments, and use of TeachTown for academic instruction.
Rachel Noto explained the county office’s role operating alternative and county programs and noted the program’s phased timeline: planning and site preparation are underway, construction through the summer with a projected build-complete date of 08/28, and rolling enrollment with a goal to begin placements by October. Staff said roughly 162 SFUSD students are currently placed in nonpublic schools, many traveling multiple hours daily; initial ESN capacity (two classes, 16 students) does not meet total district need but will expand if the pilot succeeds. Commissioners emphasized careful staffing, ethical/trauma-informed approaches to ABA, contingency plans for hiring, and the need to avoid opening too large too quickly.
