Return to Months Slide

Special Education
Department Meeting

May 2023
Agenda
Looking ahead to next year

Preparing for end of year/End of year procedures

Department Changes
As you have heard over the last few months, all departments and areas within the
organization are being impacted by district budget cuts as we budget and draft
staffing plans for 2023/24.

A couple of key points:

Staff salary/benefit increases for all staff groups/contracts are higher than state
and federal allocation increases to school districts. This needs to be taken into
account each budgeting period. For example: Average salary/benefits of licensed staff increased about
$4,000 (for our department, that increase totals about $200,000)

District had additional funds the last few years from both federal and state entities
due to the pandemic. All funds are set to expire June 30, 2023.
For example: During 2022/23, special services had federal American Rescue Plan (ARP) funds to use, about $158,400.
These funds are now spent; During 2022/23, health services had district ESSER funds from covid to use, about $138,000.
These funds are now spent.
Impact on our department
Reduction of 1 nurse and part time health assistant (Health Services had covid ESSER funds
from the district for 2022/23 that supported this temporary expansion of the Health Services team)

Reduction of 1.2 leadership FTEs (18.5% cost reduction after adj for annual
increase)

Reduction of 4 licensed staff FTEs (4.6% cost reduction after adj for annual
increase)

Reduction of 4 SEA FTEs (8.8% cost reduction after adj for annual increase)

Elimination of SEA Lead hours

Reduction to non-salary materials/instructional supply budget

Special Services Department Leadership Changes
In an effort to not further reduce support within the classroom, starting Fall 2023,
the Special Services Leadership Team structure will change due to current budget
limitations.

We will not have the Special Services Coordinator role. We will have a supervisor
role The department’s Manager role will remain in place for both special services
and health services.

Similar to the Special Services Manager role, the Special Services Supervisors will
need to have a Director of Special Education license or be in the process of
obtaining the license. The reasoning for this is so building/program based special
services leadership can support staff and admin with the licensed staff evaluation
process.