West Fargo Public Schools works to fill 34 special-education openings before school starts

West Fargo Public Schools was working to fill 34 open special-education positions as students’ return for the 2026-27 school year approached, according to a July 23 update.

The district’s 2026-27 calendar identifies August 2026 as the start of the school year, making the summer hiring effort part of the district’s preparation for the upcoming academic year. The district was seeking to fill the positions before the school year began.

Paraprofessional hiring is a summer focus

District officials said principals focus heavily on paraprofessional hiring in June, July and August. Paraprofessionals provide classroom support for students receiving special-education services, placing those positions among the roles the district was emphasizing during the final weeks before school started.

The 34-position figure reflects the number of open special-education positions reported on July 23. It includes the vacancies the district was trying to staff as it prepared schedules, assignments and classroom support for the new school year.

Special-education staffing affects the personnel available to support students in classrooms and provide school-based services. The district’s hiring effort therefore involved more than filling a general list of vacancies: It was focused on positions connected to student support and paraprofessional coverage.

Hiring continued as school approached

The update described the effort as ongoing, rather than complete. Principals and district administrators were continuing recruitment during the summer months while working toward the start of the 2026-27 school year.

For families, the immediate issue was whether the district could staff the open positions before students returned. Unfilled positions could affect classroom staffing, paraprofessional coverage and services, although the public update did not quantify confirmed effects on class sizes, transportation or student services.

The district’s next known step was continued recruitment ahead of the August start of the school year. The July 23 report did not provide a later count of how many of the 34 positions remained open after that date.