Kent School District officials are considering combining two classes in the Cedar Valley Support Center into one for the 2013-14 school year due to low enrollment.

The Support Center, which is located at Cedar Valley Elementary, serves special education students. There are currently 12 students served in two classrooms. According to the district website, the Support Center, “is designed for students who cannot succeed in regular education settings or our Integrated Program, even with the supports of accommodations and modifications to the curriculum.”

Stated goals of the program include teaching academic, life and social skills, helping students to be as independent as possible, and how to be a self advocate, with knowledge of how to get the help they need.

Enrollment and service needs of current and newly identified students are factors the district is considering.

District spokesman, Chris Loftis, said that no firm decision has been made yet and the district leadership is working with Principal Brian Rosand to determine the best course of action.

“At this time, we are planning for one classroom,” district spokesman Chris Loftis wrote in an email interview. “But over the next couple of weeks as we monitor this situation, we may determine that two classrooms is again required to best meet student needs.”

Loftis also stressed that services available to students wouldn’t change if the classes were combined.

“Special education is primarily about services, not a place,” Loftis wrote. “All district support centers have a variety of special education services available and that will not change if we have one classroom in place next year or in the future. Students, by federal and state law, are required to receive special education services first in general education if appropriate for their individual needs. Cedar Valley will still have a full variety of special education services as no services are being removed.”

Loftis wrote that during the past five years the program has decreased from a projected 19 students during the 2009-2010 school year to 12 students now.

“Cedar Valley is a very small school,” Loftis wrote. “As the district focuses on increasing interventions and providing services as appropriate in a less restrictive setting which includes alongside general education peers, it is anticipated that students will receive less services in a segregated support center setting.”

The current staff to student ratio is one to two or one to three. Loftis said that if the classes are combined the ratio would be one to three.

“The number of adults per student will still be very high, just the physical layout will be different.” Loftis said in a phone interview.

The move isn’t about saving money for the district, according to Loftis, and no staff would be laid off.

“Costs are not going away, but the usage capacity would increase if we do in fact consolidate.” Loftis wrote.