POINT PLEASANT — The county is facing a challenge when it comes to local special education programs.

That was the opinion voiced by the program’s director during Tuesday’s Mason County Board of Education meeting, where board members were updated on the recent monitoring of the special education programs.

Dr. William Capehart, executive director of the local programs, said the county had been listed as “needing assistance” following two evaluations by state and federal representatives. The group visited the school system in January and April and provided an outline of specific problems and issues that need to be addressed.

Capehart said 19 areas had been identified as needing improvements, including the addition of funding for 11 positions and eliminating lost instruction time for students who are dismissed early to board school buses, which translates to the loss of approximately 13 minutes of class time each day.

Capehart added that the improvements are to be made by April 10, 2010 so that the county still will qualify for state and federal funding for the special education programs.

In other business, board members:

• Discussed the state-mandated implementation of the Response to Intervention (RTI) program, which is designed to provide research-based instruction to students who are determined to have a specific need.

Board members voiced concern about a number of issues involved with the program, including providing adequate training to personnel and a lack of funding to cover the recommended staff positions.

The program is to be implemented in all the county’s elementary schools by July 1.

• Were asked to consider Tri State K-9 Services, a full-service dog-training facility that offers search and rescue, cadaver, tracking and drug and bomb dogs. Jeff and Zach Adkins, owners, said their services would be valuable in the school system now that the Mason County Sheriff’s Department has eliminated all but one of its K-9 units.

• Unanimously approved the budget for the upcoming fiscal year.

• Recognized Rusty Manness and Casey Hogg, students at Point Pleasant Junior Senior High School who recently placed at a national wrestling tournament.

• Scheduled a special session to conduct an employee discipline hearing at 4:30 p.m. Thursday, May 21.

• Met in three executive sessions totaling 50 minutes.

• Adjourned at 9:55 p.m.

The next regular meeting will be 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 26.