Cowley County Special Services Cooperative/USD 465

CCSSC staff provide special education services for over 1700 students (ages 3-21) in its six member districts.  Of this amount, approximately 200 have been identified as gifted, and over 1500 are students with disabilities.  CCSSC employs 115 licensed staff and 300 para educators.  Along with integration and inclusion in regular education classrooms, many students with mild disabilities receive services in interrelated resource classrooms.  Students with more severe disabilities may attend a portion of their school day in the regular education setting but receive a majority or all of their special education services in a self-contained classroom.  Unless the student’s IEP states otherwise, students are educated in their neighborhood school.

In addition to providing services for students with mild and severe disabilities, CCSSC has special programs for students with autism and for students who are too seriously emotionally disturbed to be educated within the confines of a self-contained classroom in the public school setting.  This latter program has a mental health focus where students receive both individual and group therapy from a school social worker in addition to academics and is called the Community Day School.

Winfield USD #465 is the sponsoring district for the Cooperative.  Therefore, the Winfield Board of Education determines annual salaries for cooperative staff, benefits, and number of contracted teaching days.  Coop employees follow the guidelines established in the Negotiated Agreement between the Winfield board and its teachers.  Inquires regarding employment and programs should be directed to 620-221-7021.

The Cooperative office is housed in Winfield.  Winfield is 36 miles southeast of Wichita, the largest city in Kansas.  Other districts whose special education students are serviced by CCSSC include Arkansas City, Winfield, Cedar Vale, Central Burden, Dexter, & Udall.  If you are looking for a challenging position in special education with a chance to make a difference in the life of a student and like mild winters and warm summers, then Cowley County is the place for you!