Bucks County Intermediate Unit presents programs-and‑services budget; Quakertown share about $58,000

Rachel Holler, representing the Bucks County Intermediate Unit (Bucks IU), presented the IU’s programs‑and‑services budget and a brief overview of services the IU provides to Quakertown Community School District.

Holler explained there are 29 intermediate units in Pennsylvania and that the Bucks IU’s programs‑and‑services budget is a small portion of its overall budget. She told the board the full Bucks IU budget is “about $2.19 million” for the programs‑and‑services portion and that Quakertown’s contribution to that programs‑and‑services slice is approximately $58,000, or about 2.7 percent of that portion; Holler said the programs‑and‑services portion itself is “a little over 1%” of the IU’s total budget. She described services the IU provides to member districts: special education supports, MTSS implementation assistance, leadership fellowships, mobile fab labs, curriculum consultation and advisory councils, and help with Pennsylvania Department of Education questions.

Board discussion: Board members asked whether Quakertown was using the IU services fully and whether any underused services could be expanded. Holler replied that districts meet each year to review needs and that Quakertown has historically taken advantage of many IU offerings, including MTSS leadership support and mobile fab‑lab residencies. Holler also outlined the IU’s annual approval process: member districts vote on the programs‑and‑services budget and the IU submits the budget to the Pennsylvania Department of Education.

Next steps: Holler said the IU will ask member boards for final approval of the programs‑and‑services budget at the IU board meeting on April 15 and will submit required materials to the Pennsylvania Department of Education by the end of the following month.

Ending: Board members thanked Holler and asked administration to continue to identify district needs that the IU can support; administration indicated the district will continue to work with the IU’s advisory councils and MTSS supports.