Dallastown to Educate More of its Own Special Education Students

March 12, 2010

The Dallastown Area School District plans to reclaim many of its special-education students who had been taught in intermediate unit programs.

That could be a long-term cost savings for the district, but more importantly, it will let Dallastown have more oversight of its students, said Susan Brousseau, the director of special education.

About 13 percent, or about 850 students, are in some form of special education in Dallastown. Some of them are taught by staff from the Lincoln Intermediate Unit, an educational services provider for the region, particularly for special-education needs beyond what a district can provide.

School districts are mandated by the federal government to provide a quality education for special-education students, regardless of cost.

The intermediate unit’s services are either provided in one of Dallastown’s buildings, or the child is sent to another school district where a program is hosted.

"You have to pay for things that could have been provided here," Brousseau said.

A connection: Sending students around the county means they lose the personal connection to Dallastown, she believes, and the system also limits her ability to check in on them, citing an example of one student who is taught in Hanover.

"It goes back to ownership," Brousseau.

Brousseau, in a recent presentation to the school board, said Dallastown intends to take over instruction of middle school and high school students who are in emotional support prog rams run by the intermediate unit in Dallastown schools. That switch just amounts to Dallastown’s taking ownership of the students and not paying the intermediate unit anymore.

Other plans include bringing back autistic students in grades 4-6 who had been spread around the county in intermediate unit programs.

A few neurologically-impaired students would also be brought back. All of these students would instead be taught by Dallastown staff.

Parental input: The plan is still a case-by-case basis, Brousseau said later, because each student’s families have a say on where the child should be taught, and in some instances, it wouldn’t be prudent to move a student with severe issues.

The changes would affect dozens of students. Elementary grades weren’t considered because Dallastown staff have been able to accommodate those students already.

There will be some additional staff required to meet the needs, Brousseau said, but the reduction in intermediate unit payments will make the switch essentially cost-neutral, she said.

In this situation, the move could end up saving Dallastown money over the years while also letting Brousseau and her staff have more oversight of students.

"A school board always has to be cognizant of costs … but you always have to do what’s best for the student," she said.