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District highlights new special‑education continuum, flags funding gap
Summary
Special services director Jenny Risner told the Seaside School District board the district has built an in‑district continuum of special‑education programs — including a new 18–21 transition program — but noted the district serves about 15–16% of students while state funding covers only 11%, leaving general funds to cover the remainder.
Jenny Risner, the district’s director of special services, briefed the Seaside School District board on the district’s special‑education programs and emerging transition services on Thursday night.
"Students qualify for special ed if they have a disability," Risner said, and she described the Child Find referral process, evaluation planning meetings and the Individualized Education Plan used to ensure a Free Appropriate Public Education. Risner told the board the district has developed a local continuum of services so students can remain in‑district instead of being placed in an external consortium, and she highlighted a new transition program for ages 18–21 operating off campus in the community center.
Risner also presented enrollment and referral data, saying the district currently serves about "15–16%" of students in special education while the district’s funding formula covers 11%. "Anything above 11% we're funding out of general education budget," she said, and added that specialized programs and equipment are expensive. The presentation included snapshots of initial referrals (26 this year compared with 24 last year) and grade‑band referral counts the board said it will continue to monitor.
Board members asked about per‑student cost comparisons and Risner said she would provide more precise numbers at a future meeting. She stressed the district’s focus on avoiding over‑identification while ensuring students with disabilities are identified and served.
The presentation also previewed related supports — speech and language, occupational and physical therapy and autism consultation — and named Northwest Regional ESD as a source of specialized consultation when needed. The board did not take formal action on the briefing; it directed staff to continue monitoring referral trends and return with additional cost information.
