Board Considers Hire After Growth of Special Education Program (PA)

November 15, 2010

 Saucon Valley School District administrators want the school board to hire a new special education teacher in response to a net increase of 91 special education students over the past two years.

The board is set to vote on the hire at its next meeting, Nov. 23.

Money is available for the hire since the board left a middle school language position vacant in anticipation of another special education teacher being needed, Superintendent Sandra Fellin said during Tuesday’s board meeting.

The district currently employs 20learning support and emotional support teachers and three speech and language pathologists.

Twenty of this year’s 37 new special education students were transfer students who already had individualized education programs, which the district must accept, said Shawn Rutt, director of special education.

There is a legal limit based on student needs to how many individualized education programs a teacher can administer.

The district is within legal requirements, Rutt said, but faces difficulties.

Board Vice President Susan Baxter said she’s concerned the district is getting a reputation as a destination for parents whose children have special needs.

But Rutt said families move into the district for a variety of reasons and he hadn’t heard that reason.

The new teacher would work in fifth grade at the middle school.

Board members asked questions for almost an hour trying to better understand the district’s special education program, and they suggested solutions other than another teacher.

Fellin explained special education philosophy has changed to include more students in regular classrooms.

Special education teachers teach side-by-side with regula rteachers and give special needs students support needed to succeed, she said.