Cedar Rapids Schools Provide On-Site Special Education
The district places teachers inside seven local Catholic school buildings to support students.
Updated on Oct. 30, 2026 in Special Education
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Cedar Rapids school district teachers now work directly inside Xavier Catholic School buildings to provide services. The initiative currently supports 60 students across seven different campuses.
Why it matters
State law mandates that public school districts provide special education services to eligible non-public school students. This model eliminates the need for students to leave their school campus to access these resources.
The district has placed three special education teachers within the Catholic school system. Currently, 11 students receive direct support at the Xavier High School building.
The players
Cedar Rapids School District
The local public school system responsible for providing special education services to eligible students in the area.
Xavier Catholic Schools
A private educational institution hosting the pilot program for on-site special education services.
The details
Teachers support students by co-teaching in classrooms and providing individual instruction on-site. While the Cedar Rapids district provides staff, Xavier Catholic Schools also employs two special education teachers who coordinate required paperwork through the public system.
Timeline
The pilot program for on-site services is currently in its third year.
Culture Shift
This program aligns with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) mandates regarding public school responsibility for non-public students. It marks a departure from traditional models that required students to travel to public campuses for specialized support.
Families with students at Xavier Catholic Schools no longer need to coordinate transportation to public campuses for special education support. Students now benefit from direct co-teaching and individual instruction within their existing classroom environments.
The takeaway
This model offers a blueprint for how private and public institutions can cooperate to provide seamless support for students with unique needs. Integrating services into the daily school environment reduces travel time and minimizes disruptions to the student's learning day.
Further reading
Learn more about local programs in Special Education.
Source note: This article includes information reported by The Gazette.
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