[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6663083,"mediaKeyId","2391528-10c5e261ca29e93818521b10e4d2c8cd","parentId",2391528,"title","Board approves consent items and several policy updates; one curriculum resource tabled","audioSeconds",6147,"startMs",133000,"endMs",6280000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2391528-10c5e261ca29e93818521b10e4d2c8cd&start=133&end=6280","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2391528-10c5e261ca29e93818521b10e4d2c8cd/thumbnail_133000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6663083/Pennsylvania/Board-approves-consent-items-and-several-policy-updates-one-curriculum-resource-tabled","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6663083-296bb173f62c05affe30fed330b7e65f/orig.mp4?Expires=1771157900&Signature=Zd9Yosyx~YieNuQaEnO1A7FD301y-xuthwPxEjTUqzTasdNzHX-tDA9HFbeGd7mgOJjsoB7QFrLIH7eTzRCK9VKWKpx6TNsILYz8GVz0vIEj9U59mtVsSfHPwhHlMjeKZmCWVrFgRbTikd8-NXDrmssid2q49NeMqvLZrmhzVI9ni0nFCVuizJtCH44g4lUBux5ZAeXI4M9UGzuZIBDQjHnRrfaRNMACTc~6f-Heg9dkQcNYGxSGPr8ED6os~hbMDff1jPNmVCzX7SaHROVf7y2-ckBTf0c-rraPwGWn00ZBvo1qitqs8ADHgpku94Kgb2G~NlVWJ~SU2W4wmFR6xQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Chambersburg Area School District","date","2025-02-26T02:16:12.987Z","article","The Chambersburg Area School Board approved the meeting agenda and several routine and policy items in voice votes on Feb. 25. The board approved the consent agenda items 7.01–7.21 (excluding item 7.12), approved multiple policy readings, and tabled one curriculum resource request for review.

Votes at a glance

- Approval of the meeting agenda: Voice vote; motion carried. (Motion by Mr. Hajduk; second by Dr. Diller.)

- Consent agenda (items 7.01–7.21, excluding item 7.12): Motion by Ms. Gaugler; second by Ms. Gauss. Voice vote; motion carried. The consent agenda included personnel actions and routine business items listed in the board packet.

- Item 7.12 (curriculum resource/syllabus): Motion to approve was seconded and then a motion to table passed. A board member said she had received the resource materials on Friday and requested time to review them before voting; the board voted to table the item until the next calendar meeting.

- Policy 204 (Attendance) — first reading: Motion and voice vote to approve the first reading; motion carried.

- Policy 2239 (Foreign exchange students) — first reading: Motion and voice vote to approve the first reading; motion carried. Board discussion noted the district maintains J-1 exchange status and does not process F-1 visa approvals.

- Policy 226 (Searches) — second reading: Motion and voice vote to approve the second reading; motion carried. The board updated the policy to reflect the district’s use of ferrous-metal detection systems.

- Policy 226.1 (K-9 searches) — second reading: Motion and voice vote to approve the second reading; motion carried.

Several other personnel appointments and promotions were announced after the consent vote; the board recognized newly approved staff members who were present at the meeting. No roll-call tallies were recorded in the meeting minutes for these voice votes.

Board procedure note: Where a motion reported only a voice vote, the board recorded “ayes have it” rather than a roll-call tally. The board scheduled additional budget and program items for April, and administrative staff said they would return any requested materials to board members in advance of future votes.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","February 25, 2025 School Board Meeting","oneSentenceSummary","At its Feb. 25 meeting the Chambersburg Area School Board approved the agenda, a set of consent items, and multiple policy readings; the board tabled one curriculum resource item for later consideration.","taxTitle","Chambersburg Area SD, School Districts, Pennsylvania","taxId",38269,"location","Pennsylvania","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6663087,"Special education enrollment, autism rising in Chambersburg; district cites staffing and fiscal pressures",1866,3046000,4912000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2391528-10c5e261ca29e93818521b10e4d2c8cd&start=3046&end=4912","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2391528-10c5e261ca29e93818521b10e4d2c8cd/thumbnail_3046000.jpg","/articles/6663087/Pennsylvania/Special-education-enrollment-autism-rising-in-Chambersburg-district-cites-staffing-and-fiscal-pressures","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6663087-fa2e16960d93509f5162e86e0beedcfe/orig.mp4?Expires=1771157900&Signature=YwwBqdz6zeWHKt00B7K7rqfPXCxmMxB-U63kuG83btOaUv-HctKM9lvu0KyR04KdwYE077Fxz5v5W9XYvq4vUNQpS4~-xB5x7hAF0eSSji~sNSQEqHAx7ghPcLDucjfK8mtnk2GoBd0nzRVs-hKcWXxX52zGm4sSi5Nrrrz1pjhCq-xWKfjhSkYwKp~dzq0MIz-s-F4sob1Jnar1wpjORCQidd9PYWfK3TDLQRU~3LaiJRcBb6hKnoNKzpQpngq~3w7~K6XY06h8-EKysVa497-o24luifkoGH30V-2A~AjPMqfrjbTnWnvcNzZWT8m-8DlmkISbskb~0ZkDq~CVYQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Chambersburg Area School District officials told the school board on Feb. 25 that special education enrollment has increased over the last decade and that services and contracted placements are driving large cost increases.

Director of Special Education Sherry Sullivan and 9–12 special education supervisor Dr. Emily Goodine presented enrollment and outcomes data, department staffing, cost drivers and internal-audit findings. “As far back as 2013–14, we were at 11.3 percent; moving up to 2023–24 our population grew to 16.4 percent,” Sullivan said. “Under the autism category, we rose to 17 percent in 2023–24, compared with 13.9 percent statewide.”

Sullivan and administrators said the district projects autism could reach about 20 percent of special education classifications by 2028 under the planned reconfiguration of grades and buildings. The department reported a districtwide special education population of about 1,550 students uploaded for the Dec. 1 count; that number includes roughly 80 students at the Franklin Learning Center, about 50 in the district’s virtual academy and about 50 in outside treatment placements.

Staffing and services: The department said it has 89 teacher positions (four currently vacant), about 229 support staff (including paraeducators and personal care assistants), and 34 related-service providers. The district listed 13 speech-language pathologists with three vacancies; because of workforce shortages the district is contracting speech services and expects contract spending of about $400,000 for those services.

Sullivan described regulatory limits that affect costs. “If they're in a self-contained autistic support classroom, that classroom can only have eight students,” she said. She added that those classrooms typically require one teacher and two aides; Widman said an example self-contained autism classroom costs in the neighborhood of $250,000 when staffing and supports are included.

Audits and funding options: Sullivan summarized an internal audit of special education operations that commended the district’s pre-referral process, caseload management and homebound procedures but recommended expanded medical-access billing and other revenue steps. District administrators said internal audit work suggests the district could pursue an additional $350,000 to $500,000 in medical-access reimbursements if it refines billing processes.

Proposed administrative changes and next steps: District leaders said the department needs three changes the audit suggested could be largely cost-neutral if additional billing revenue materializes: a supervisor of program services to oversee related-service caseloads and paraeducator oversight, and a dedicated financial secretary to manage billing and Act 16 reporting. The superintendent said that the supervisor positions planned for the district’s grade reconfiguration could accommodate the new supervisory role.

Student outcomes: Dr. Goodine said the district focuses on growth measures for special education students. In comparisons with nine similar districts, Chambersburg ranked first for special education growth in elementary ELA and science (grades 4–8) and ranked second in math growth. At the high school level the district faces more challenges on Keystone exams; Goodine said growth and proficiency patterns in secondary assessments are a focus of ongoing ATSI monitoring and local remediation planning.

Board members asked about causes for the autism rise; Sullivan cited greater awareness, broadened identification and earlier identification rather than a single identifiable cause. Sullivan and Widman said district leaders will explore the audit recommendations further and will include any staffing or budget proposals in the coming budget cycle.","District officials told the board the special education population has grown to 16.4 percent and autism cases have risen to 17 percent in 2023–24; the department outlined staffing levels, contract spending, audit findings and options for new revenue and administrative roles.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6663092,"Chambersburg schools see modest midyear reading gains; district projects half of third-graders may reach PSSA proficiency",1311,1338000,2649000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2391528-10c5e261ca29e93818521b10e4d2c8cd&start=1338&end=2649","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2391528-10c5e261ca29e93818521b10e4d2c8cd/thumbnail_1338000.jpg","/articles/6663092/Pennsylvania/Chambersburg-schools-see-modest-midyear-reading-gains-district-projects-half-of-third-graders-may-reach-PSSA-proficiency","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6663092-485c53be9583df1847a91639e776e41a/orig.mp4?Expires=1771157900&Signature=YH0IZrl6XUsJ0O96hfkK6Naj0nggotga~euxsMr00o5Q6DWdirbuspqVkLcPdw4N9hjGEFgsK5pnOL219k7RFrsSkBCFBNeLzo0-qX1HzHteES4HvsmZmcOhQBSwSRJUKmqDQnfH6y-WKuOyvCzivNRdDXEtxwugZhHjFfjBj-31sFqM~tBlUneVD~dTyMxBFxOw-0HKtU0x1tCBBvai~uUy5HS-GoHM-SHlX6BYUU2XSENCw85~2AjU16jCjwVafoVwtFYhTNulMjPYrlz3z4j9ub51k19yzB3f0LlR0T2j1Ep-~6eKTbRrbfD-lIsaUJylCTsW61EKCuVC4BAA6A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Chambersburg Area School District administrators reported incremental progress toward the district’s goal that every student read and comprehend by the end of third grade, but said current midyear measures project only about half of students reaching PSSA proficiency.

At a Feb. 25 board meeting, district staff presented three metrics the district will use to measure the goal—NWEA MAP, the Acadience reading screener, and the Pennsylvania System of School Assessment (PSSA)—and said students must meet two of the three measures to be counted as meeting the standard. “MAP is a nationally normed assessment tool that we use to gauge students' achievement and growth,” Dr. Sarah Herbert said, describing the first measure. “Acadience is our universal screener. Every student K to 3 gets it three times a year,” Lindsey Breslin added.

The presentations focused on midyear MAP data and Acadience results, plus a projection that about 52 percent of the district’s students were on track to be proficient or advanced on the PSSA for the 2024–25 cohort based on winter MAP results. \"When we say there's a projection, it's a little daunting to look at it. Only half of our kids are there,\" Herbert said.

Why it matters: proficiency on third-grade ELA tests is a frequent benchmark for early-reading initiatives. Administrators told the board that the district is aligning staffing and programming to raise early-grade outcomes before students reach third grade, when the PSSA first applies.

What the data show: District leaders said MAP growth charts show some cohorts that made stronger midyear gains that later slowed; they said the new historical charts will help identify trends across years. Acadience data for K–3 were available for the last two years only; presenters cautioned that Acadience items change across testing windows and that year-to-year comparisons are most reliable when the same window is compared. Breslin highlighted a cohort that rose from 38 percent at the beginning of first grade to 58 percent at the beginning of second grade.

Administrators described current and planned interventions: daily 30-minute “wind time” for small-group work in elementary schools, hiring additional interventionists and deans who will spend half their time on interventions, a planned set of content specialists to support professional learning, expanded screening for early identification, and continuing the district’s walk-to-read program in selected schools.

District leaders emphasized professional development as the largest remaining need. \"Our biggest need, or absolute biggest need, is professional learning,\" Mike Widman said, citing lost training days because of winter weather and the need to train K–3 teachers in structured literacy.

Discussion and next steps: Board members asked for clarification about the three measures, how long each assessment takes, and how parents can access results. Presenters said MAP typically takes 30–45 minutes and is administered on Chromebooks; Acadience is a one-on-one screening that usually takes several minutes. The district said it would continue to present updated dashboards, and that school-by-school data are available on each school’s page on the district website.

The board did not take formal action on the metrics at the Feb. 25 meeting; administrators said additional budget and staffing proposals tied to the district’s 1% (plus-x) capital reserve discussion will come with the proposed final budget in April.","District presenters told the school board that midyear assessments show incremental growth toward a goal that all students read and comprehend by the end of third grade, but current projections put proficiency at about 50–54 percent without additional changes.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Board approves consent items and several policy updates; one curriculum resource tabled

Special education enrollment, autism rising in Chambersburg; district cites staffing and fiscal pressures

Chambersburg schools see modest midyear reading gains; district projects half of third-graders may reach PSSA proficiency