The Republic School District says it's seen a 25 to 30% increase in kids enrolling and qualifying for its Early Childhood Special Education program.

To help better serve those students, the district will add an integrated classroom next school year.

Seven months into the school year, these three and four year olds in the Early Childhood Special Education program have come a long way in their speech and social development from where they started in August.

"I've watched some of them go from merely grunting and making barely any noises to putting two to three words together, some really amazing improvements," speech pathologist Victoria Henbest said.

Assistant Director of Special Services Misty Kinsey says an integrated classroom would help developmentally delayed students advance even quicker, by being in a class with peer role models.

"What we saw was an easier transition to kindergarten and all throughout their school career because they form those relationships and bonds with non-disabled peers early on, where they understand them and get to know them, and then they're included more," Kinsey said.

"They pick up on so much just by playing and being here everyday, they pick up more than we even know," Henbest said.

Henbest says the peer role models will benefit too, learning awareness and how to cooperate with kids different than they are.

The district will have to initially front the $70,000 to start the program and pay for the teacher and paraprofessional for the class.

The Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education though will reimburse the district the following year.

The class could have up to 24 kids in it, split between the morning and afternoon.