Group I: Equity in Staffing Based on Needs

Subgroup 1-a
(Kristie Cunin, Laurie Graham, Kim Nguyen, Raspberry, & Amanda Yampolsky)

Problem Statement:  We don’t understand the guidelines and decision-making process for equitably determining student, family, school support and staffing, and it’s long-term impact on all stakeholders.

Recommendation: Equitable student/staff ratio

Detailed Recommendations:

• More robust program with schools to recruit more diverse teachers through classified/temporary staff.
• To partner with universities to develop stronger SpEd teachers; Based on need.
• Have Universities participate in PPS Professional Development Trainings.
• Staff Skills, Student need, IEP minutes matrix (as opposed to a 30:1 ratio based only on numbers)
• Guidelines for ensuring student placement stability.
• Continuity of curriculum & training District wide.
• Continuity in tracking interventions for students.
• Support personnel follow matrix guidelines.
• Guidelines followed district-wide.
• Racial and linguistic competency should reflect student pop.

Sub Group I-b
(Mary Pearson, Kathy Ware, Dawn Martin)

Problem Statement:  Inequity in caseloads/workloads allows some teachers (all staff) to better meet individual student needs. Greater equity would allow all staff to proactively meet individual student needs.

#6- Student to Staff Ratio:

Working Well:

• In My Control:
  • Individual Building collaboration of services for students and sharing resources.
• Outside of my control
  • Structured Classrooms for Fragile B and CB (Academic)

Does Not Work or Working Poorly:

• In My Control
  • Admin. Kansas City Rubric
  • Weighting Students
  • IEP Team Weighting students
  • Need more front loading of services, K-5 – Admin.
• Outside of My Control:
  • Kansas City Rubric-Weighting Students (is age considered in the rubric?)  teachers, paras, itinerant, TOSAs.
  • Structured Classrooms for Life Skills
  • IEP Team Weighting students
  • District trust of staff assessment of needs
  • Need more Front loading of Support services K-5

#7 Reduce Class Size – Gen Ed.

Working Well:

• RTI tiered instruction within classrooms and buildings
• Classroom needs assessment which drives amount of para support in that classroom.

Does Not Work or Working Poorly:

• RTI-Tiered instruction within buildings
• Under continuation of services, buildings would be given additional admin support to balance out student needs and F.T.E. allocation.
• Students in Special Classes/placement have a general ed class and are counted on that teacher’s caseload.

# Caseload of Itinerants:

Working Well:

• Itinerant Staff Specializing in specific classrooms/groups.

Does Not Work or Working Poorly

• Clustering of services within one building to streamline services of itinerant staff.
• Increase time for Itinerant to collaborate w/IEP team and school agencies.