PSJA board approves contract to fill speech‑therapy gaps as district pursues hiring

PSJA ISD trustees approved a contract with Solubrious Therapeutics Associates LLC to provide speech‑language pathology services at campuses that the district said do not currently have full staffing.

Special education staff told trustees the district has approximately 1,680 students receiving speech services systemwide, including about 372 students with speech‑only services, and that three campuses (Ford Elementary, Building Blocks Academy at Sotomayor, PSJA Memorial Early College HS) have been relying on itinerant staff and redistributed caseloads. Staff estimated roughly 132 students at those campuses need consistent services. Because of recruitment challenges for licensed speech‑language pathologists, the district recommended contracting to meet IEP timelines and ensure compliance.

District staff provided an estimated contract cost of about $101,540 (including assessments, IEP documentation and Medicaid/SHARS billing work). Staff said a portion of those costs is offset by SHARS Medicaid reimbursements; trustees asked about historic SHARS recovery and were told the district and other Texas districts have experienced audit‑related adjustments and have appealed certain SHARS determinations.

Trustees approved the contract after trustees and staff confirmed the district would continue active recruiting and that contracted services would be used to meet timelines and IEP requirements rather than to reduce existing staff assignments.

Next steps: contracting staff will finalize vendor agreements, and the special education office will monitor service delivery, billing recoveries and vacancies while continuing recruitment.