Meriden, CT: behavioral/emotional program for SPED kids to be continued next year

Jan 30, 2018, Meriden (CT) Record Journal: Berlin special education looks to fund behavioral program in budget http://www.myrecordjournal.com/News/Berlin-Citizen/Berlin-News/Berlin-special-education-budget.html Special education in the district is looking to keep the high school’s behavioral and emotional program next year to help struggling students. … Effective School Solutions (ESS), a program out of New Jersey, will cost $275,000 for the 2018-2019 school year. The program was implemented last year with the use of savings and was not a line item in the budget. ESS has 18 students who participate in the in-district services. Half the students are recognized as needing special education. … Contracted services is proposed to increase by 17.3 percent due primarily to the cost of ESS. Additional district paraprofessionals are also proposed for $100,000. With the addition of six new students in the district over the past two years identifying as needing special education, Holian said four more paraprofessionals are needed for one-to-one student support.