The Eastern York School District is considering expanding a program that has worked well at the middle and high school levels to its elementary school students.

Transitional classrooms in the upper grade levels have allowed Eastern to bring some students with minor disciplinary problems back into the district and "many of those students were mainstreamed" into regular classrooms, assistant superintendent Rita Becker told the school board recently.

Becker and Polly Lamison, supervisor of special education, would like to see the program offered at the elementary level as well, with one elementary transitional classroom for students in grades 1-3 and another for students in grades 4-6.

Under the current proposal, those classes would be housed in Wrightsville Elementary and will give approximately 17 students the opportunity to return to their home district and transition back into mainstream classrooms.

Laurel Life runs the program.

"This is another example of Eastern looking to have an impact on the elementary level. "We believe that based on the success we've had at the middle school and high school level this program will have an impact," Becker said.

The district anticipates cost of about $41,000 per student, which will be a cost savings as long as the program is offered to at least 10 students.

"Because these students are placed in either alternative educational settings or with the LIU, bringing them back to Eastern will save us money," Becker said.