Board weighs prepaid out‑of‑district placements, transportation and special‑education costs

Administrators told the Exeter Township School Board on June 3 that a substantial portion of the district’s special‑education spending covers out‑of‑district placements and prepaid slot agreements that the district must buy in advance.

Why it matters: Prepaid slot contracts, transportation and limited placement capacity drive costs and can affect students’ program continuity and district spending.

Key points: Assistant superintendent Dawn Harris and special‑education staff explained that some placements — including Bucksmont and River Rock — require the district to purchase slots ahead of time. The district pays for transportation separately. “You must purchase [prepaid slots] ahead of time, and you have to make a decision about how many you’re going to purchase,” Harris said, describing the challenge of predicting need and the resulting wait lists for non‑prepaid placements.

Administrators said Bucksmont and similar programs are highly competitive and that districts have limited ability to negotiate prices: “They are allowed to charge whatever they would like,” one administrator said, explaining the supply‑and‑demand dynamics. Board members asked for clarity about slot counts and transportation cost; administrators said slot counts are set in each contract and that transportation costs vary with routing and the number of students assigned to a route.

Special‑education spending context: The finance presentation identified the special‑programs line at approximately $15,785,562 of the general budget, and administrators said the district’s special‑education population has increased to about 21 percent of students. Staff also described other strategies used when desired out‑of‑district placements are not immediately available, including intensive in‑district supports, home instruction and family referrals to mental‑health treatment.

Contracts and counsel: The committee also reviewed renewals and agreements related to special education — including Lakeside, Bucksmont, Access Learning Academy, River Rock, PCIU rate acceptance and pooled special‑education legal counsel — and will move those items to the voting agenda. The board’s legal counsel, Tom Warner, was identified as a resource for proactive special‑education cost management.

Ending: Administrators said the district’s ability to maintain stable costs depends on managing in‑district services, relationships with placement providers and forecasting student needs.