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Board hears sharp rises in special education and therapeutic program costs; staff consider in‑district options
Summary
District staff told the board contracted special education services and therapeutic emotional‑support placements have driven a large portion of the proposed increase; the district plans to increase use of Medicaid/medical-access reimbursements and is exploring bringing more services in‑house.
District staff said increases in out‑of‑district placements and contracted services with the intermediate unit (IU) are key drivers of the proposed 2025‑26 budget for special education and mental‑health supports.
The matters are significant because special education placements and contracted therapeutic services are legally required and costly; a small number of high‑need placements can materially change a district’s special-education budget.
Staff reported an overall increase in IU‑contracted services of roughly $86,000 (district figure given during the presentation) and described several subcategories with material changes. Emotional‑support and therapeutic (out‑of‑district) placements rose sharply; staff cited an increase in the…
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