Conewago Valley SD Board discusses staffing plan, funding options and tax impact

Lori Slumkin, a district staff member presenting the budget plan, told the Conewago Valley School District board at its Feb. 18 Committee of the Whole meeting that the district can “sustain one year” of two new positions (a social worker and a psychologist) from existing access/IDEA funds while officials investigate how to increase reimbursements going forward.

Slumkin outlined a plan to "take back" several special-education classes currently provided through the intermediate unit (IU), saying the district’s total projected cost for those classes is about $770,000 while the IU’s current charge would be about $1,100,000 — a difference Slumkin said would amount to roughly $300,000 in savings if the district provides the services directly. She said savings from the take-back could help offset other proposed positions, including a school resource officer (SRO), a dean of students, a middle school technical education teacher and a special-education administrative assistant.

The budget presenter said the district’s access account already contains enough funding to pay for one year of the new social worker and psychologist positions and staff will visit a peer district…