York County School Board approves Title 6B annual plan; Hopkins outlines funding, student-count rise

Tremaine Hopkins, York County School Division director of special education, presented the division's 2026'2027 Title 6B annual plan and federal grant application on April 27, describing the federal requirements and the division's intended use of funds.

Hopkins said the annual plan documents how the division will use IDEA Title 6B Section 611 and 619 funds, noting Section 611 covers ages 3'21 and Section 619 addresses preschool-age services. She said the division provided written notice and a virtual information session for private- and home-school families and reviewed the proposed plan with the Special Education Advisory Committee.

Hopkins reported an unverified December 1 count of 1,895 students receiving special education services, an increase of 135 students from the prior year, and said FY25 special-education expenses totaled nearly $31 million. She presented the proposed grant requests: $2.4 million for Section 611 (majority for salaries and benefits) and $54,020 for Section 619 (mostly salaries), with restricted indirect costs calculated in each request.

Board members asked for detail about restricted indirect costs and the process for serving parentally placed students. Hopkins said restricted indirect costs reimburse allowable administrative and professional development expenses and that parentally placed students are eligible only if they qualify for special-education services; the division historically set aside $4,542 for parentally placed students to fund speech-language services.

Hopkins said the division must certify eligibility and submit the application by May 8; the Title 6B plan appeared on the consent calendar and the board approved the consent calendar, including the Title 6B submission.

The board approved the consent calendar by voice vote; the Title 6B application will be submitted to the Virginia Department of Education as presented.