CENTRAL — The Central School District discussed on Sept. 8 a proposed agreement with Sunburst, a managed-service provider that would consolidate contracting for special-education support staff and negotiate bill rates with current staffing agencies. The item was presented for discussion and will return to the board later this month for further consideration.

The district presentation, by Mr. Spataro, a staff member, said Sunburst would recruit and retain contracted employees “under one umbrella” and would take a 5% fee from the negotiated bill rate. Spataro said Sunburst’s analysis projects “potential savings of about $250,000” if all current open positions were filled through the managed-service arrangement. He added Sunburst already has one current contractor, Emergis, under its umbrella and that the company expects to onboard that group by mid-January, with broader implementation planned for the 2026–27 school year.

Why it matters: Central is carrying roughly 45 unfilled positions that the district now fills in part with four contract providers. Board members repeatedly pressed district staff about whether using an MSP would lower contractor quality, how conversion fees would apply if the district later hires a contractor’s worker directly, and what portion of the estimated savings comes from lowered contractor bill rates.

Board questions and practical limits

Director Strickler, a board member, said the proposal merits a trial and noted the district should avoid “harming ourselves in terms of the ability for those contracting agencies to be of interest to us and to send us quality individuals.” The board asked for clarification about conversion fees and whether the 5% MSP fee is deducted from the contractor’s billable rate or added on; Spataro replied the 5% is taken from the final agreed bill rate and that Sunburst negotiates the billable rate with the district while staff retain final approval.

Staff also identified the four current contractors by name in discussion: Emergis, ProCare, Maxim and (as reported) Delta T. Spataro said the district retains the right to continue using current contractors if Sunburst cannot meet requisition needs.

Implementation details mentioned in the discussion

- Projected savings: about $250,000 if all open positions are filled and some bill rates are reduced, according to Sunburst’s estimate as reported by staff.
- Current contractors named in the meeting: Emergis, ProCare, Maxim, and Delta T.
- District vacant positions cited: about 45 unfilled roles districtwide.
- MSP fee: Sunburst would take a 5% fee from the negotiated bill rate.
- Conversion fees: the contract includes a conversion-fee schedule; staff said comparable conversion provisions already exist in the district’s current contractor agreements.
- Timeline: Emergis group onboarding targeted by mid-January; broader implementation aimed for the 2026–27 school year.
- Termination: the district may exit the agreement with 60 days’ notice, a provision board members noted as enabling a trial period.

No formal action was taken on Sept. 8. Staff answered board questions and indicated they would continue discussions with Sunburst and the contractors and would bring the item back on the agenda for a future meeting. The board requested follow-up clarifications on conversion-fee mechanics, which costs drive the $250,000 estimate, and assurances about contractor quality and oversight.

Ending: The Sunburst agreement remains at the discussion stage; the board scheduled additional consideration for its next meeting so members can review contract language and the cost/quality trade-offs before any formal vote.