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BPS projects $45–50 million in out-of-district tuition next year; district aims to bring students back with new programs
Summary
Boston Public Schools told councilors it expects to spend about $45–50 million on out-of-district tuition in the coming year, roughly half of which the district expects to seek reimbursement for through the state's circuit breaker; officials described program redesigns intended to reduce out-of-district placements.
Councilors pressed district leaders about special education costs and out-of-district placements at the April 15 Ways and Means hearing. The superintendent and senior staff projected next year’s out-of-district tuition spending at roughly $45,000,000 to $50,000,000 and said about half of that is typically reimbursed by the state’s circuit breaker program. "Our projection for next year is to spend between 45 and $50,000,000 on out of district tuitions for kids to attend schools outside of BPS, about half of that being reimbursed by the state through circuit breaker," the superintendent said.
Council members asked how many of those placements are driven by a lack of in-district programming versus administrative failures that produce compensatory obligations. The superintendent and chiefs said compensatory services typically arise when the district fails to provide a required service for an extended period (for example, when a specialist position goes unfilled), and that compensatory obligations surged during and after the pandemic but have since declined. The superintendent said the district will provide percentage breakdowns on compensatory services on request.
District leaders described a strategy to build in-district programs and ‘‘strands’’ mirroring successful out-of-district offerings (for example, specialized reading supports for learning disabilities and autism/ABA continuum seats) and to expand programs such as the Carter and Mel King sites so families can keep students in Boston. They said transportation costs for some out-of-district placements can be very high—district staff estimated around $48,000 per student for single-rider long-distance routes—and that transportation sometimes exceeds tuition costs.
Officials said they are pursuing multiple revenue and cost strategies to offset potential federal grant reductions (for example, improved reimbursement via circuit breaker, philanthropic support and enrollment-based revenue) and are working to reduce out-of-district reliance through targeted program development and a 45-day internal evaluation process to avoid losing students to external placements.
