--- title: "Burbio School Tracker 9/17: Support Systems" description: "In this special edition of the Burbio School Tracker, we examine recent district activity across four connected areas: special education, mental health, specialized staffing, and MTSS. The examples below come from school board discussions and strategic plans published since August." image: https://about.burbio.com/hubfs/unnamed%20(45).png --- [![burbio logo png-2](https://about.burbio.com/hubfs/burbio%20logo%20png-2.png)](https://about.burbio.com/) - [Features](https://about.burbio.com/school-calendar-insights) ### [Curriculum Tracker](https://about.burbio.com/curriculum-trackerv2) ### [Construction Tracker](https://about.burbio.com/construction-tracker) ### [Calendar Insights](https://about.burbio.com/school-calendar-insights) - [Burbio School Tracker](https://about.burbio.com/weekly-updates) - Company ### [In the News](https://about.burbio.com/press) ### [Research](https://about.burbio.com/research) ### [Contact Us](https://calendly.com/dennisroche/burbio-meeting-with-dennis-roche?month=2026-08) [NEWSLETTER SIGN-UP](https://about.burbio.com/#sign-up) [GET A DEMO](https://calendly.com/dennisroche/burbio-meeting-with-dennis-roche?month=2025-12) # Burbio School Tracker 9/17: Support Systems In this special edition of the Burbio School Tracker, we examine recent district activity across four connected areas: special education, mental health, specialized staffing, and MTSS. The examples below come from school board discussions and strategic plans published since August. [Dennis Roche](https://about.burbio.com/weekly-updates/author/dennis-roche) Sep 17, 2026 --- **1.** **Special Education:** District special education discussions cover program reviews, service-delivery models, enrollment growth, and facility needs. The map below shows district activity since August: ![unnamed (45)](https://about.burbio.com/hs-fs/hubfs/unnamed%20(45).png?width=838&height=642&name=unnamed%20(45).png) Below are example district discussions from the map above: - **Community High School District 94, IL,** plans a special education needs assessment covering staff development, programming, student placement, and fiscal responsibility. - **Yorkville Community Unit School District 115, IL,** is considering a $140,000 contract to review its special education and intervention programming, staffing, service delivery, and effectiveness. - **Gloucester County Special Services School District, NJ,** is developing an enrollment-expansion plan that calls for new educational programming for neurodiverse learners, stronger relationships with sending districts, and expanded admissions and outreach efforts. - **Edina Public Schools, MN,** is considering a new Early Learning Center as part of a potential spring 2027 referendum. The project would allow the district to establish a Transition Program for students with special needs at its current facility. - **Schodack Central School District, NY,** is evaluating construction options to address a special education space shortage at Castleton Elementary. Needs include classrooms, sensory and resource rooms, therapy and testing areas, and adaptive facilities. **2.** **Mental health:** Recent mental health discussions include program reviews, behavioral supports, community partnerships, and suicide-prevention services: - **Gloucester County Special Services School District, NJ,** is developing an enrollment plan with new programming for neurodiverse learners and expanded district outreach. - **Ashland School District, OR,** plans to strengthen its counseling, behavioral-health, attendance, and intervention supports while expanding family engagement. - **Moravia Central School District, NY,** identifies PBIS, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, and Therapeutic Crisis Intervention for Schools among its current prevention and behavioral-support initiatives, alongside school counselors, social workers, and psychologists. - **Palo Alto Unified School District, CA,** is participating in a community review that identified gaps in youth mental-health and suicide-prevention services. Recommendations include expanding evidence-based care, crisis-response programs, and school-based interventions. **3.** **Specialized Staffing:** Staffing remains a central challenge in delivering special education, behavioral, and related services: - **Phoenix Elementary District, AZ,** is preparing to solicit a multi-term contract for on-site services supporting intensive behavioral classrooms, citing an ongoing need for behavioral and special education staffing, continuity of care, and long-term service delivery. No provider has been identified for the planned contract. - **Acton-Boxborough Regional School District, MA,** is addressing chronic vacancies in special education assistant and other support positions, with contracted services currently being used to cover unfilled ABA tutor roles. District leaders are also considering a longer-term staffing study to address persistent staffing needs. - **Vista Unified School District, CA,** is working to address significant special education staffing shortages, including dozens of vacancies in specialized instructional and behavioral support roles. The district is using temporary staffing agencies for special education aides as part of a broader staffing stabilization strategy. **4.** **MTSS:** One of the most active states for MTSS is California. Below is a map of activity for the state since August: ![unnamed (46)](https://about.burbio.com/hs-fs/hubfs/unnamed%20(46).png?width=548&height=671&name=unnamed%20(46).png) Below are representative programs from the state for that period: - **San Juan Unified School District, CA,** has identified TK–2 behavior, classroom disruptions, and chronic absenteeism as priorities for 2026–27. The district also presented three tiers of schoolwide positive behavioral supports. - **AeroSTEM Academy, CA,** has been directed through a county program review to formalize MTSS/PBIS-aligned academic, attendance, and behavioral interventions with measurable outcomes. - **Mendocino County Office of Education, CA,** is establishing its 2026–27 Student Services priorities and sharing strategies from the California MTSS Conference with local districts. It is also realigning services as two student-support grants end. - **Gorman Learning Center, CA,** has outlined a leadership role responsible for developing academic, behavioral, social-emotional, and mental-health MTSS systems, including screening, referrals, professional development, and Tier 2 and Tier 3 interventions. - **Jamul-Dulzura Union Elementary School District, CA,** is entering its third year of MTSS work, focused on Tier 1 practices, staff training, and classroom expectations. ## Similar posts PreK-12 ### [Burbio School Tracker 1/13: Crutches and Tools](https://about.burbio.com/weekly-updates/burbio-school-tracker-1/13-crutches-and-tools) This week we review enrollment trends with a particular focus on both large districts and charter schools, trends in special education staffing, and... Dennis Roche Jan 13, 2026 ### [Burbio STEM and CTE Tracker 8/27: Expansion, Grants and Facilities](https://about.burbio.com/weekly-updates/burbio-stem-and-cte-tracker-8/27-expansion-grants-and-facilities) In this special CTE & STEM edition of the Burbio School Tracker, we cover program expansion, CTE facility construction, and state grants. More below. Dennis Roche Aug 27, 2026 PreK-12 ### [Burbio School Tracker 3/10: Exceptional Children](https://about.burbio.com/weekly-updates/burbio-school-tracker-3/10-exceptional-children) In this week's Tracker we cover challenges districts face in creating mental health programs, strategies districts are using to address declining... Dennis Roche Mar 10, 2026 ## [Sign up](https://about.burbio.com/#sign-up) for Burbio School Tracker emails!     [![Asset 1@3x](https://about.burbio.com/hubfs/Asset%201@3x.png)](https://about.burbio.com/old-homepage) ### Company - [Home](https://about.burbio.com/old-homepage) - [School Tracker](https://about.burbio.com/weekly-updates) - [Press](https://about.burbio.com/press) - [Research](https://about.burbio.com/research) - [Terms of Service](https://about.burbio.com/terms-of-service) © 2025 Burbio, Inc. 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