Last week, staff was informed that D303 will be eliminating the positions of elementary Student Support Interventionists (SSI), SSI Assistants, and Special Education Instructional Support Coaches. 
 
These positions will be “replaced” with an assistant principal in each building and an MTSS Coordinator (a newly-formed position). Not many details have been given about this MTSS position, except for the fact that it will be primarily not student-facing and include added data responsibilities.
 
Staff affected were given only a few days to apply for these new positions and will now engage in an interview process. If they don’t get these positions, they have the option of taking an open position at a different school.
 
All of this is incredibly disrespectful to our veteran teachers, but the larger concern is the impact this change is going to have on kids across the district. Our SSIs are MAJOR hubs of student support. They are trusted adults who support kids in crisis and emotional need. They support kids at the classroom level, the small-group level, and the one-on-one level. These are educators who build relationships with kids across the building and serve as trusted adults beyond the classroom teacher. 
 
Losing these student-facing roles in the buildings is going to have a significant impact on our kids’ emotional and behavioral well-being at school. If anything, our district should be adding MORE behavioral supports in our elementary schools, not taking them away or replacing them with non-student-facing roles.

Edited to Add: The Special Education Instructional Support Coaches are also vital to maintaining an inclusive learning model in our elementary schools that supports all learners. The SPED ISCs work directly with educators across multiple sites to use evidence-based instructional and environmental strategies, ensuring that students with disabilities receive meaningful access to high-quality instruction within the general education setting. The role is critical because their coaching is rooted in real experience and a deep understanding of the IEP process. They build the capacity of our teachers to meet the diverse needs of all learners, including through modeling, strategizing, co-teaching, etc. Like the SSIs, the SPED ISCs support classroom and resource teachers in managing behaviors, crafting and following through on IEPs, and ensuring the inclusion model actually works in our district. 

Signers of this petition demand D303 keep SSIs, SSI assistants, and SPED ISCs in each elementary school to maintain current levels of student behavioral support. 

The next school board committee meeting is on Monday, March 16 at 5:30 p.m. at Lincoln Professional Center (211 S. 6th Ave.). Please consider attending to show your support! If you cannot attend, consider emailing the school board (boardofeducation@d303.org) to let them know why these specific roles are vital to our elementary schools (and/or to ask for more explanation as to why this change is happening).