The Excelsior Springs School District spent just under $2 million last year educating 26 students outside the district, prompting administrators to examine whether expanding in-district special education programs could better serve students while managing rising costs.Assistant Superintendent Dr.Christen Everett told the Board of Education the district received about $950,000 in reimbursement through Missouri’s High Needs Fund, leaving roughly $1 million in out-of-district special education costs still borne by the district.Everett noted the discussion is being shaped in part by the district’s annual Dec. 1 child count, which determines special education funding for the following school year.“Dec. 1 is a big day in the world of special education,” explained Everett. “That is the day we submit our child count to DESE (Department of Elementary and Secondary Education) and that is how our funding for the following school year is de...