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Special-education budget rises as out-of-district tuition and contracted services drive costs
Summary
East Haddam’s proposed special-education budget increases by about $300,000 (16%), driven almost entirely by higher out-of-district tuition and the reclassification of a $170,000 ESS contract into purchase services, officials said during the Jan. 8 business and planning meeting.
Wendy McCabe, the district’s new people services director, told the East Haddam School Board on Jan. 8 that the proposed special-education budget for 2024–25 is $2.12 million, an increase of roughly $300,000 — and that the rise is ‘‘entirely in out of district tuition.’’
McCabe said the district’s special-education spending is concentrated in three areas: tuition (including private out-of-district placements and magnet tuition), purchased services (part-time contracted clinicians such as BCBAs, OT/PT and related specialists) and instructional materials. ‘‘When considering a special-education budget, there’s really some three main areas that we consider,’’ she said, summarizing federal and state compliance obligations under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).
Nut graf: The board’s questions focused on why costs rose and on one accounting change that shifts $170,000 from the tuition line into purchase services. Board members pressed McCabe for line-item detail and for clarification on vendor contracts and settlement-related payments.
The ESS contract and accounting change McCabe explained that the district reclassified Effective School Solutions (ESS) — a contracted middle-school clinician/social-worker program — from tuition to purchase services. A board member asked about the contract amount; McCabe confirmed the full ESS contract is ‘‘$170,000.’’ She said that moving ESS between budget categories does not reduce total district spending but alters how increases appear in each line.
Out-of-district placements and tuition Board members were told the bulk of the $300,000 increase reflects two new students placed out of district and anticipated spring contract increases for existing placements. McCabe emphasized these placements result from PPT (Planning and Placement Team) determinations under IDEA and are federally mandated when required by an individual education plan.
Settlement payments and vendors During the tuition review, a board member asked about a longstanding settlement arranged through Feinstein Educational Law Group. McCabe said the law firm receives funds and disburses them to cover services for an individual student; payments continue until the student ages out of entitlement (through the year they turn 22). McCabe said the district does not pay the firm for profit but follows receipts and progress reports provided by the firm.
Assessments, subscriptions and program supports McCabe described a broader shift from paper ‘‘kit’’ assessments to online subscriptions (for example, Woodcock-Johnson 5 for achievement testing), which can increase recurring costs because pricing is often based on district size rather than the number of identified students. She also described district programs — resource rooms, an autism/ABA classroom using Aerys software, shared programs with East Hampton (the Learning Center) and a Colchester-hosted transition program — that support students with complex needs.
Board scrutiny and next steps Board members raised concerns about prior-year spreadsheet accuracy after McCabe updated older sheets to reflect current 2024–25 numbers; one member said changes to prior fiscal-year figures ‘‘raise red flags.’’ McCabe said she corrected outdated figures found in earlier documents and is working to finalize line-item reconciliations. She asked trustees to send follow-up questions in writing this month so staff can provide updated sheets for review.
Where this stands No formal vote occurred on the budget during the meeting; the presentation closed with staff agreeing to supply clarified and updated sheets to the board in advance of further review. The district will also include estimates for excess-cost reimbursement (state aid that partially offsets very high special-education expenses) in final calculations.
Sources: Presentation and Q&A at the East Haddam School District business and planning meeting, Jan. 8. Quotes and figures are taken from the on-the-record presentation by Wendy McCabe and board discussion.
