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Coffee County budget review flags rising special-education costs, contracted psychology services
Summary
Board members discussed increasing local special-education expenditures as federal IDEA funding shrinks, higher contracted psychology and high-cost student services, and the district's strategy to seek grant reimbursements or hire in-house staff when feasible.
District staff told the retreat that special-education expenses are increasing and the district has shifted some aides from federal grants into the general fund as federal support has declined.
April said several federally funded positions had been moved into the general budget because grant allocations have trended downward; she noted that the district currently employs several speech-language pathologists but still uses contracted psychologists and other high-cost services when demand spikes. One staff estimate cited contracted psychologist costs of roughly $428,000 this school year with a budgeted amount of $225,000; staff said they would pursue high-cost reimbursement when eligible and apply for grants where possible.
Board members pressed whether hiring an additional in-house psychologist would be both fiscally and operationally feasible. Staff said hiring could reduce contracted-service lines but acknowledged such licensed specialists are hard to recruit. Members also flagged that any reduction in federal special-education funding or a change in state funding rules (TISA) would increase pressure on the general fund.
April told the board she would monitor high-cost reimbursements and grant opportunities and return with options for balancing the special-education program without abrupt service reductions.
Ending: Staff will track high-cost reimbursement and grant avenues and report back to the board on the feasibility and expected savings of converting contracted services to in-house positions if candidates can be found.
