Morningside, Moss, and Penn elementary schools will each lose half a resource teacher position next school year, part of a district-wide special education overhaul driven by a $3.5 million funding shortfall and a 78% jump in high-needs students since 2023-24, according to the district's special education FAQ published July 10.

Morningside drops from 1.0 FTE to 0.5, serving 16 students on IEPs. Moss goes from 2.0 to 1.5, with 40 IEP students. Penn falls from 1.5 to 1.0, serving 22. The reductions are part of a broader reallocation: district-wide, elementary paraeducator support drops from 8,263 hours per week in 2025-26 to 5,322 hours in 2026-27, a 35.6% cut.

Granite School District said the staffing changes do not automatically alter any student's services. The district stated in its FAQ that lack of staff or budget "is not an acceptable reason to reduce, suspend, or omit required IEP services," and that any change to an IEP must involve the parent and be based on the student's current data.

The recaptured positions are being used to staff new Special Class classrooms across the district, which carry lower caseloads than resource rooms.

Budget pressures behind the shift

The Granite Board of Education adopted the 2026-27 interim budget on June 16, by a 6-1 vote. Board member Kim Chandler cast the lone dissenting vote. Board President Nicole McDermott, Vice President Kris Nguyen, and members Connie Burgess, Clarke Nelson, Karyn Winder, and Julie Jackson voted yes.

The budget addresses more than $12 million in state funding reductions, program eliminations, and new unfunded mandates over the past two years, according to the district's July Parent Link newsletter. Before cutting school-level positions, the district eliminated five district-office jobs, three related-service positions, and more than $500,000 in supplies, software, travel, and mileage.

"If we reduce from what we have now it is so difficult for students," board member Connie Burgess said at the June 16 budget hearing. Burgess said she hopes the district doesn't lose anything else, adding that programs focused on children are critical.

Business Administrator Todd Hauber warned at the same meeting that without the proposed tax increase headed to a Truth in Taxation hearing, the district would face a $21 million shortfall requiring immediate budget reductions.

Next steps for families

Families who believe an IEP accommodation is not being implemented should raise the concern with their school team. Parents may request an IEP meeting at any time, and unresolved issues can be escalated to the school's special education coordinator or the district Special Education Department.

The board's Truth in Taxation hearing is scheduled for August 18, at 6:00 p.m. The next regular Board of Education meeting is August 4.

Online re-enrollment for 2026-27 opens July 31. Families should log in to their Focus Parent Portal account before that date to confirm access. The district warns that parents should use their own account, not their student's, and should reset a forgotten password rather than creating a new account, which can cause delays. Families needing help after July 29, should contact their child's school directly.