ISD 518’s special education program serves over 16% of student body

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WORTHINGTON — Jill Stiefvater updated the ISD 518 school board's instructional committee on the district’s Special Education program Monday morning. The program serves 642 students, or 16.2% of the student body, according to a December 2025 student count, and employs over 100 SPED staff, including teachers, paraprofessionals, therapists and more. The program updates come after a year-long review of the district’s SPED program by Carol Potter. ADVERTISEMENTWe're really looking at how we can better support our special education teachers (and) how we can look at case management. Staff support continues to be a focus, with two special education coordinators hired to help support teachers and families.