WS/FCS looks to fill 83 EC vacancies, add 14 more positions
Reported byWFDDBy Amy Diaz
AI-assisted summary
Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools plans to create 14 new positions in its exceptional children (EC) program. The money comes from an additional $1.3 million that Forsyth County Commissioners approved for the district this year to support EC services. According to the article, the EC department absorbed a large share of the position reductions made during the district's financial crisis, which left staff with very difficult caseloads.
Chief Academic Officer Paula Wilkins told a meeting this week that the district intends to use the funds for eight EC teachers, along with teacher assistants, an EC facilitator and a behavior support specialist.
Filling the jobs may be hard. The department already has 83 openings that the district has not managed to fill. Wilkins said the district would like permanent employees but must be realistic about vacancies, and it may need to consider temporary contracting. The district is also planning a recruitment event aimed at EC teacher assistant openings on Wednesday, Oct. 21, at its Education Building on Bethania Station Road.
Why it matters
Staffing levels in EC programs affect the support students with disabilities receive and the workload teachers and aides carry. The article shows that new funding does not guarantee relief if the district cannot hire enough people for open roles.
- Special education services
- Budget cuts
- Paraprofessional shortage
- Teacher shortage
- Students with disabilities
Written with AI from the publisher's article and may contain errors. The original reporting is the authoritative source.
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- How should the district weigh permanent hires against temporary contracting when many EC positions remain open?
- What steps could help the district recruit and keep EC teachers and assistants amid heavy caseloads?
- How should county funding for specific programs be tracked and reported to the community?
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