Board sets open enrollment limit

Smaller student populations at two grade levels are allowing for one special education open enrollment opening at each next year in the Cedar Grove-Belgium School District.

The School Board this month unanimously determined the district’s open enrollment limits, which include one open spot in fifth grade and another in 11th grade for special education students.

“We have a new teacher that works between the upper elementary and middle school, which has allowed for one slot in the fifth grade,” Director of Special Education Tamra O’Keefe said.

“Otherwise, both the other elementary school special education teacher and fifth/sixth-grade special education teacher would have an overload and there would be no slots.”

Hiring a new teacher, O’Keefe said, did not decrease any of the workload. Covid-19 and providing online and in-person education has kept staff members busy.

“It has been a challenging year for all — with students and staff constantly moving from in-person to quarantine and back. Luckily, we have been able to continue to provide in-person services to meet the needs of students in the most impactful way the district believes possible,” O’Keefe said.

At the high school, class sizes and teacher-student ratios change from year to year, she said. Next year, a spot in 11th grade will open up.

The district didn’t have any special education openings this year. Last year, it had one in 11th or 12th grade and in 2018-19 it had one in each 10th and 11th grade.

Open enrollment is a statewide program that allows students to attend school districts in which they do not live. Districts may limit how many seats are available in each grade by citing various factors, including space constraints.

The board did not set a limit on general education students through open enrollment.