Since 2005, the number of special needs students at Lodi Unified schools has shot up 25%, even as overall enrollment declined by 11%. There are now 4,827 students with special needs at LUSD, which is five percentage points higher than the state average of 13.7 %
District officials are trying to understand what accounts for the increase. In the meantime, they’re looking at ways to increase supports for those students.
On Tuesday, district staff presented the school board with a report. It proposes adding more instructional coaches for special education curriculum, plus an inclusion coach for students with autism who are in general education classes…