Claremont schools move to limit out-of-district placements

By GLYNIS HART
[email protected]
CLAREMONT – Citing the high cost of out-of-district placements for children with severe emotional and behavioral problems, Assistant Superintendent Cory LeClair introduced a proposal for educating the same kids in Claremont to the school board. 

“We send a significant amount of money sending students across the state,” Le Clair told the board Wednesday night. Currently, the school district has about 35 students placed in educational environments outside the district. “It’s cost prohibitive; we have a big problem.” 

Calling the proposal an “out-of-district program within the district,” LeClair said the classroom or rooms would be therapeutic environments first, academic environments second. 

LeClair laid out cost projections, noting that the district now spends approximately $90,000 per student on out-of-district education. The program would require one administrator, with two classrooms: a Level One and Level Two, which would share a social worker and a mental health worker. Each classroom would serve six students, more or less depending on the individuals’ needs, and would need one teacher certified in both special and regular education. Each classroom would also require two or three mental health workers. The five new employees needed would cost approximately $665,000; keeping six students in district would represent $540,000. Le Clair projected a first-year cost, therefore, of ~ $125,000. 

“I think it’s important for people to understand it’s going to give these students a better quality of life, but it’s going to be better for other students as well,” said Jason Benware, school board member. 

Director of Special Education Ben Nester said it’s hard to estimate how many kids will be in the classrooms because “it depends on who walks through the door.” Interpersonal dynamics and the kids’ individual personalities affect the number a teacher and staff can handle. 

Nester said, “I think we should start small with the intention to scale up.” 

Le Clair said they would like to start with one classroom and add a second one soon. 

Benware asked at what point the program would cost less than what the district’s doing now. Le Clair said as it gets larger it gets more cost-effective, since all positions wouldn’t have to be duplicated. 

“You’re looking at savings within two years, and all our students are having a better experience,” said LeClair. Students in out-of-district placements spend up to 45 minutes twice a day being transported to their programs, she added. 

LeClair said the district will be meeting with the city manager, presumably about where to put the special classrooms. “If we grow we can’t do it the way we are now,” she said.