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Katy ISD considers interlocal contracts with Harris County Department of Education for specialized programs and therapy services
Summary
Katy ISD staff presented two interlocal agreements with the Harris County Department of Education Monday for specialized services at Academic Behavior School West and for occupational, physical and music therapy services across the district.
Katy ISD staff presented two annual interlocal agreements with the Harris County Department of Education Monday: specialized services for a small number of students at Academic Behavior School West (ABS West) and contracted therapy services including occupational therapy, physical therapy and music therapy.
Assistant Superintendent for Special Education Dr. Gwen Coffey said the ABS West contract covers a small number of students who require "very highly specialized services," and that the cost compared with last year is similar: "It's the same number of students," she said, and staff noted an approximate cost of $144,000 for that agreement.
On the related interlocal for therapy services, Coffey said the contract funds therapists who provide services to students under IEPs. The packet contained two different totals: a $3.5 million figure on the interlocal and a $3.6 million figure on the contract approval request. Trustees asked staff to research the discrepancy and provide corrected documentation. Coffey said staff had added hours and that the district likely added the equivalent of an additional occupational therapist and an occupational therapy assistant to meet growing service demand.
Trustee Redmond asked whether intensity-based funding under state proposals could change how those services are funded; Coffey said participation in a pilot suggests additional services and hours would increase a student's funding tier, which would affect the district's funding weight for those students.
Trustees also asked about billing private insurance. Coffey said the district does not generally bill private insurance for school-based services; some services may be billable through Medicaid, and other early-childhood or community providers (ECI) may apply in particular cases.
Staff requested board approval of both interlocal agreements; no roll-call votes were recorded in the meeting transcript and staff said they would follow up with a numerical clarification for the therapy contract.
Background: the therapy contract has increased in cost year over year in the materials presented; staff said increases reflect additional hours and staff equivalents to serve more students.
