Maple Heights OKs $656,000 contract with Effective School Solutions for therapy and behavioral services

The Maple Heights Board of Education on April 14 approved a $656,000 contract with Effective School Solutions to provide therapy, mental‑health services, professional development and extended‑school‑year services from April 15, 2025, through June 30, 2027.

The contract covers services at the district level with an initial operational focus on the middle school and Obama (school) and is intended to create a “continuum of services” that district leaders said could both keep students in district schools and provide support for students currently receiving services outside the district.

Superintendent Delafloor said the district and the vendor would identify an initial cohort of students collaboratively and would obtain parental consent before any clinical services begin. “Our clinical team meets with the school team, discusses students that are being considered for the services, and then determine[s] the initial cohort that we want to serve,” Mel, a representative of Effective School Solutions, told the board. Mel added that services could be for general education students or students with individualized education programs (IEPs), depending on the team’s decision and parental consent.

Board member Miss Moore pressed district staff on whether teachers had been included in planning for bringing students back from out‑of‑district placements. Delafloor and another district staff member identified in the record as Webb said building administrators and school psychologists had been informed and that any change of placement would require the full IEP team, including the general‑education teacher, to meet and approve changes. “Every single student has to be looked at individually,” Webb said, describing the IEP process and parental involvement.

Board members also asked about program oversight and how the district would track results. Effective School Solutions said it would share outcome data — typically quarterly or on another agreed schedule — so the board and administration could assess whether to continue or expand the services. The vendor said it has experience working with districts nationwide and would put a clinical team in place and coordinate with district staff when a student’s placement needed adjustment.

A motion to approve the agreement was made and seconded. The roll call as recorded in the meeting transcript showed recorded affirmative votes from Miss Sheppard, Miss Moore, Miss Granger and President Blackwell and a recorded opposing vote by Miss Cheeks; the motion passed.

Board members emphasized that the contract is a starting point, targeted where the district sees the greatest immediate need, and that any return of students from out‑of‑district placements would be handled through the district’s special education procedures and require parental consent and IEP team approval.

The board approved the contract during the Committee of the Whole meeting; the agenda indicated reporting and more detailed financial statements will come at the regular meeting on April 28.

Looking ahead, administrators told the board they will provide periodic outcome reports so trustees can evaluate student progress and decide whether to expand services beyond the initial schools covered by the agreement.