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Board reviews $1.84 million special-education service agreement with Northern Illinois Association
Summary
District staff presented an information item on the Northern Illinois Association (NIA) service agreement for 2025–26, with a projected cost of $1,843,625, the majority of which will be paid from IDEA grant funds.
Mr. Kyle Gerdes presented an information item on the district’s continuing service agreement with the Northern Illinois Association (NIA), a special-education cooperative that provides occupational therapy, physical therapy, vision and hearing services, deaf and hard-of-hearing services, and supervision for low-incidence programs.
Gerdes said the projected total cost of the agreement for 2025–26 is $1,843,625. He told the board that most of the cost is expected to be covered by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) grant, supplemented with local funds as needed. Gerdes cautioned that the amount is a projection and can fluctuate if student needs change during the year.
Board members asked whether the district knows the precise split between IDEA funding and local funds; Gerdes said the final allocation depends on future federal grant decisions and enrollment changes. He added that historically the district has paid approximately $1.2 million from IDEA for NIA services, but the final figures are subject to the grant award level for the coming year.
Gerdes described NIA as a “phenomenal partner” and said the cooperative has been responsive and dependable.
