Improving Student Outcomes While Reducing Costs: Strategic Staffing and Scheduling in Special Education
(Room Ballroom A)
11 Nov 26
4:00 PM
-
5:00 PM
Tracks:
Innovating for Success: Cutting Edge Practices
In an era of increasing student needs and tightening budgets, special education leaders must design systems that improve outcomes while using resources more strategically. In this session, Nate Levenon and Angie Balsley will share practical, field-tested strategies that help districts expand the impact of their existing special educators without added stress to their work. Participants will explore best practices for special educator scheduling that prioritize student needs while expanding staff capacity, how to improve staff schedules, protect staff time with students, and how micro-scheduling paraeducators can dramatically increase service efficiency and effectiveness. This session is designed for participants who are feeling budget strains, but don’t want to reduce services to students or overload staff. The session will also highlight financial insights that allow leaders to think differently about the age old question, “ how much staff is needed in each school?” We will share specific before and after examples from districts that expanded the reach of staff in a sustainable way. Attendees will leave with actionable ideas to strengthen services, support staff sustainability, and steward limited resources wisely.