Hatboro-Horsham Cuts Some Positions, Adds Others

There will be fewer teachers at most Hatboro-Horsham schools in the coming year, but additional resources will be on hand to help special learners. 

The Hatboro-Horsham School Board voted during Monday’s meeting to create six new positions, half of which will help the district address the needs of its special education and autistic students. 

Altogether the positions will cost a projected $282,589 based on the combined salaries of the Keith Valley Middle School autistic support and learning support positions; the district-wide special education and support service position expansion from part-time to full-time; the switch from outside to in-house school psychologist and student assistance coordinator positions; and a data coordinator application support position.

“Our numbers have increased,” Superintendent Curtis Griffin said noting that currently the middle school educates 213 special education students and that number is expected to rise to 238 students next school year. “(The new position) is required to maintain program standards set by federal and state mandates.”

Griffin said some positions have already been posted and that the district would post the remaining openings “in the next couple weeks.” The “intention,” he said, is for jobs to be filled by next school year.

The district would first look at transfer requests from current staff and “honor those” first, he said, adding that all positions would be open to both internal and external candidates.

The new positions are being added at a time when the district is reducing its overall teaching staff at most buildings through attrition. To date, about 20 teachers have resigned or retired and some will not be replaced, district officials have said.

Declining enrollment throughout the district is driving the reduction in teaching staff by two at Simmons Elementary School, while Keith Valley Middle School and Hatboro-Horsham High School each will have three fewer teachers. Of those district-wide reductions, Griffin said four teachers would be transferred to other buildings.

Teachers who would be relocated to a new building next year would be notified this week, Griffin said.