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Trustees approve Ascend contract for speech services amid broader special-education staffing debate
Summary
Board approved a contract not to exceed $175,117.50 with Ascend for one speech-language pathologist; trustees debated contracting versus hiring as districts face statewide shortages and litigation risk if services are not in place by day one.
The board unanimously approved a contract with Ascend to provide a speech-language pathologist for the 2026–27 school year, a service the district said it could not leave vacant at the start of the year.
Trustees pressed staff on whether contracting would become a recurring substitute for full-time hires. One trustee warned that starting the year without staff "opens ourselves up to litigation," and staff said many contractors later become district employees. The district reported it has hired 47 new teachers, including special-education personnel, and remains focused on continuing recruitment and credentialing advocacy.
