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Freetown-Lakeville staff recommends using IDEA funds for out-of-district tuition, not transportation, in FY26
Summary
District finance staff recommended using most of the district's IDEA allocation to stabilize out-of-district tuition budgeting for fiscal 2026, shifting prior practice of using the grant for salaries. The update also covered projected special education transportation costs, chapter 70 aid and other state funding changes.
District finance staff told the regional school committee at a Jan. meeting that they plan to use most of the district's federal IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act) allocation for out-of-district special-education tuition in fiscal 2026 rather than for staff salaries or transportation.
The recommendation was presented as part of a broader FY26 budget-development update. Staff said the IDEA award this year is estimated at just over $800,000 and that the district intends to set aside roughly $35,000 to $50,000 of that for instructional supplies rather than salaries. "We have been talking about how to utilize the IDEA grant outside of using it for salaries," the presenter said, adding the…
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