Special Needs

Last night I attended the Alpine School Board Study Session October 14 2025. Here is a link if you want to watch it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qXHVXiTkvQQ&t=3624s

Director of Special Education Roy Darrington presented updates on SPED funding, special schools, post–high school transition programs, and the importance of serving students in their neighborhood schools. It was a very informative meeting.

He shared proposals for how special education services might be structured after the district split.

For those unfamiliar, the special schools he referenced include:

• Dan Peterson and Horizon – schools for students who need more support than can be provided in general education settings

• ATEC East and ATEC West – post–high school programs that help students with disabilities transition to independent adult living

All of these schools are currently located in the West and Central Districts—and they’re already at capacity. It will be very difficult to accommodate additional students next year, even before the district officially splits.

Director Darrington outlined two proposals:

1. Build or renovate a facility by the 2026 school year

This would allow for a “soft landing” with strong district support before the transition.

2. Build or renovate by 2027

This would not have a "soft landing" but it would give the new district more time to make long-term decisions that could lead to better outcomes.

He emphasized that even without the split, we need a new facility in the South area. Our current buildings simply can’t accommodate the growing number of students who need these services.

I was surprised by how urgent the need is. I had assumed the new district would have a year or two to develop a SPED plan and possibly rent space from the Central District in the meantime—but apparently, that’s not a viable option.

The good news is that our district has several properties that could potentially house a new SPED school. Our current school board representative, Emily Peterson, has proposed something I strongly support: a “Mother of All Boundary Studies” (MOAB) to help us determine the best locations and options for these schools and other schools.

I’d love to hear from this community—especially parents of SPED students.

What would you like to see happen with special education in our new district?