LEWISTON — The annual costs for placing each special education student in an out-of-district program ranges from $36,600 to $130,000, Special Education Director Jill Hastings told the School Committee on Monday night.

That’s one big reason why in a year of budget cuts the School Department is building more in-district programs, including a new autism classroom at Geiger Elementary School and more day treatment at McMahon Elementary School and the Lewiston Middle School.

Another reason, Hastings said, is that research shows special education students who spend some time in regular classrooms have more success. Not all are able to do that, she said, but more will be able to when Lewiston has more programs.

As committee members continued their work of the proposed $60.76 million budget for 2014-15, they heard reports on special education and English Language Learners.

Growing special education costs could mean a higher property taxes.

In the past three years, MaineCare special education costs have grown to $4.5 million, up $1.5 million last year alone.

Of Lewiston’s 5,220 students, 17.1 percent are in special education, compared to the state average of 15 percent. Most are taught in Lewiston schools. But 97 are in out-of-district programs, including 51 at the Margaret Murphy Center.

The number of Lewiston special education students who have autism has increased by 44 percent since 2009. Some families with autistic children have moved to Lewiston to be near the Margaret Murphy Center in Lewiston, Superintendent Bill Webster said.

Lewiston schools are working with experts from the Center for Children with Special Needs from Connecticut to expand in-house options, Webster said.

Committee member Tom Shannon asked if the expansion is the beginning of bringing all special education students in-house.

“Is that where this is taking us now?” he asked.

Webster said, “I don’t foresee us ever having autism entirely in-house. There’ll always be a certain type of student whose needs are going to demand the type of specialized services which would not be at that level,” he said. “That being said, I have no doubt there are many students outplaced now who can receive the same if not better services in our buildings.”

Some students come to kindergarten already diagnosed and enrolled at a private school. Some would be better if they were integrated in public schools with better long-term plans, Webster said.

The School Department is continuing its relationship with Margaret Murphy, but changes are in the works, he said.

“We have other providers who want to work with us,” Webster said. Lewiston is exploring a proposal from Sweetser called “day treatment without walls,” in which Sweetser provides experts who work in Lewiston schools with Lewiston teachers.

“We’re getting better,” Webster said.

In her report, ELL Director Kristy Clark said the number of ELL students has grown to 1,197 this year from 1,139 last year. The students come from homes where 28 different languages are spoken, the biggest group are children from Somali homes.

Schools with high numbers of ELL students are Longley, which has 237; Montello with 237, and Lewiston High School, 246.

The needs of ELL students vary, Clark said. Longley has more students who need more help, including some children new to the country with no or little school experience. ELL students at the middle school require very little help and perform at grade level with their peers, she said.

In the past year, 36 students got a perfect score of 6 on ELL exit exams, meaning they were officially released as ELL students, Clark said.

Another 143 students scored 5, which meant they performed proficient work for their grade levels.

Compared to the previous year, the number of students who tested high enough to move out of the ELL program grew by four, and 25 more scored a 5 on the test.

“We’re slowly moving in the right direction,” Clark said.

Looking over budget line numbers, Don D-Auteuil, who represents the City Council on the board, asked why the city’s six interpreters each had a cellphone, since there are phones at the schools.

“They don’t have their own offices,” Chief Academic Officer Sue Martin said. They use their cellphones to communicate with immigrant families, she said.

Committee members will review the budget March 31 with the City Council, and vote on the budget April 14.

Residents will vote on it May 13.

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