North Thurston Public Schools Board Public Comment

North Thurston Public Schools had their Board of Directors meeting on October 1, 2024. I've noticed some problematic special education practices, and so I addressed the Board. Specifically, the district seems to have no formal procedure for determining a child's need for a paraeducator. Yet, OSPI provides technical assistance on this very topic in their Technical Assistance Paper #6. For more on that, please read my blog post on the topic.

My Public Comment to the North Thurston Public Schools

Good evening, members of the Board. My name is Shannon Sankstone, and I am a  non-attorney special education advocate. I'm here to address an issue affecting our most vulnerable special education students - the process of determining one-to-one paraeducator support. As you know, for many high-needs students, a certificated paraeducator is a necessity for accessing their education, and for safety. 

The Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) in Washington State has provided clear guidance on this matter through their technical assistance paper #6, titled, “Paraeducators and Students Eligible to Receive Special Education Services. They recommend a decision-making model that includes three components:

1. A review of the intensive needs of a student using an intensive needs checklist
2. A student ability and assistance needs matrix, and
3. A plan for assistance and independence.

This model is designed to:

1. Center the child and their needs in the decision making process,
2. Improve equity of services through a guided process of needs analysis, and
3. Provide the IEP team with the tools needed to make sound decisions based on data.

However, we've observed that some schools are using delay tactics and inconsistent decision-making models, often contradicting themselves. I have even seen reference to human resources and the need for district-level approval, yet supplementary aids and services - paraeducators - are always IEP team decisions. HR is not a member of the IEP team.

The current North Thurston School District method of determining the need for a paraeducator not only frustrates families but may also deny students their right to a Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) as guaranteed by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).

I urge this Board to adopt and implement OSPI's recommended decision-making model for paraeducator support. By doing so, we can ensure that:

1. Decisions are based on individual student needs
2. Decisions are made by the IEP team
3. Support is provided consistently, equitably and appropriately

Thank you for your time, for hearing my comment, and for your service to our children.