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Student services budget rises amid special‑education cost pressures and state funding changes
Summary
The board heard a $6.2 million student services budget (+$170,000), driven by contracted nursing, transportation and out‑of‑district tuition; presenters said recent state actions (SB 292) and a court ruling may ease future funding pressures but revenue timing and federal grants remain uncertain.
The Londonderry School Board received detailed budget testimony from the student services team on Dec. 9, with the department seeking $6.2 million for fiscal 2027, an increase of $170,000 from the prior year.
The presenter (identified in the meeting as Kim) said the bulk of the increase stems from individualized IEP‑required services, higher contracted nursing costs (+$263,000) after unsuccessful local hiring efforts, and higher transportation costs (+$108,000). The department currently tuitioned 27 students to out‑of‑district private special‑education placements and budgeted for similar numbers in the coming year.
Revenue sources identified were special‑education aid, Medicaid billing and the federal IDEA grant. The presenter cautioned that IDEA and other federal funds are subject to Washington appropriations and that the district remains concerned about grant stability; she noted the district would be damaged by a large ($1.2M) federal cut. In contrast, recent state developments were described as potentially beneficial: the presenter said SB 292 (cited in the packet) authorizes the governor to draw from the Education Trust Fund to meet state obligations for special‑education aid, and a Rockingham County judge ruled this year that New Hampshire special‑education funding is constitutionally insufficient — both developments were identified as likely to improve future state reimbursements.
Board members and budget committee members asked about the recurring nature of the three revenue buckets; the presenter confirmed IDEA and Medicaid flows are annual but warned that federal grants can be volatile and reimbursement lags exist (state special‑ed aid often reimburses the district a year after expenditure). In response to a question about the cost to outsource the district’s in‑house special‑education programs, the presenter estimated roughly $7 million would be required — underscoring the local savings of maintaining robust in‑district services.
Next steps: the board will consider the student services staffing and program impacts as part of the Dec. 18 budget review, and the district will monitor state implementation of SB 292 and related funding changes.
