Board member says conference revealed paths to Medicaid school‑health reimbursement and federal grant opportunities; urges lobbying

A board member told the Scranton School District board on Feb. 3 that a recent professional conference identified potential revenue and public‑health opportunities for the district, and urged the board to pursue legislative and agency outreach.

The director said roughly 25 states currently limit Medicaid reimbursement for school‑based health services to students with Individualized Education Programs (IEPs), and that bringing state policy into alignment could allow districts to claim Medicaid reimbursement for a wider set of eligible low‑income students and school health services. "There's presently 25 states in the same boat that we are where we could only get Medicaid reimbursement for the students who have IEPs," the board member said.

The director also described a federal grant opportunity coordinated with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the National School Boards Association. "They received an $8,000,000 grant in conjunction with the EPA," the board member said, and the director said the application window was opening immediately.

"This now puts us a year ahead of everybody else," the board member said, arguing the district could both increase recurring revenue and register low‑income students for Medicaid coverage where appropriate. The director urged the board to contact state legislators and the state Department of Education and Department of Health, and suggested the board consider a lobbying effort to advance policy changes and to pursue available grants.

Board members responded positively to the suggestion to pursue board professional development and to consider a discussion at a future work session about how the board could budget for conference attendance and possible lobbying work.

No formal motion was made; the board member said she would supply written materials to the superintendent and the board.