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Parents and trustees press district on $2.3M speech-language contracts as board approves consent calendar
Summary
A public commenter and several trustees questioned two large speech-language service contracts (teletherapy and in-person providers) on the consent calendar; staff defended the contracts as a compliance step amid a statewide SLP shortage. The consent calendar passed.
Public comment at the Travis Unified board meeting focused on two contracts on the consent calendar to provide speech-language pathology services, including teletherapy. Mark Nowak, a member of the public, criticized both contracts as expensive and urged the district to eliminate what he called a "middleman" by hiring more in-house clinicians.
"The cost of the district is $1,004,000" for one contract and "$1,324,800" for another, Nowak said, adding that those amounts together represent a substantial investment the district should scrutinize. He estimated provider caseloads and argued that the district should explore alternatives to outsourcing.
Board members followed with detailed questions. Gabe (business/operations staff) and district staff explained that California — like much of the country — faces a shortage of certified speech-language pathologists (SLPs), that special-education law requires provision of services set in IEPs, and that contracts are used to fill gaps when the district cannot recruit enough staff. Staff said the district currently has four in-house SLPs and that contracts project staffing needs (and do not always result in full use of contracted hours).
One trustee noted the operational difference between in-person SLPs and teletherapy providers and asked whether the district could rely on interns and university partnerships; staff said those options help but do not replace licensed supervisors and paid SLPs. Another trustee asked where the money comes from; staff confirmed the services are funded through special-education restricted funds.
After discussion and questions from trustees, the board moved and seconded approval of the consent calendar, which included the contracts, and members voted to pass the consent items.
The record shows the board engaged substantively with the public comment and staff explanations; staff committed to continued recruitment and to bringing back information on internal staffing options and bond/project transparency.
