Levittown special‑education costs rise as classification and severity increase; district plans for added in‑district capacity

The Levittown Board of Education heard a detailed special‑education budget presentation March 6 in which officials said classification rates and the severity of student needs are increasing and driving higher costs.

"We definitely are increasing," said Dr. Farber, describing a climb in the number of students identified for special education. She said the district has more students in most restrictive classes and continues to send an increasing number of students to BOCES and private out‑of‑district placements when in‑district services cannot meet their needs.

Farber told the board the district is training staff in Orton‑Gillingham multisensory reading methods, threat assessment and crisis intervention, and is expanding transition planning and behavior supports, including seeking grant funds for a transition support specialist. She also described a rebranded MacArthur ABA program (now called the "5‑Star" program) focused on academics, daily living and vocational skills.

On costs, Farber said classification growth and increased service intensity are key budget drivers. "Going from 12 to 13 percent doesn't look like a lot, but in a district this size it actually is a very meaningful number," Farber said. She reported current counts of about 1,100 CSE cases and over 200 preschool CPSC cases and projected a special‑education budget increase of roughly $336,000 (about 2.21 percent).

Board members asked for more detailed breakdowns — including how many high‑needs students moved into the district from other places, the composition of classification categories (autism, learning disability, OHI, speech/language) and the transportation cost component of McKinney‑Vento cases. Farber agreed to provide requested percentages and further details on out‑of‑district entrants and classification drivers.

The discussion ended with board members urging continued analysis of causes and options to align services with both educational needs and fiscal constraints.