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Public health asks board to raise preschool 1:1 aide reimbursement from $17 to $24 per half hour
Summary
Public Health requested increasing the preschool one-to-one aide reimbursement rate from $17 to $24 per half hour to better cover school district hiring costs and to keep students integrated in their home districts; staff estimated a $7,200 county share increase for the existing caseload and noted 59% state reimbursement.
Joe Austin, standing in for an absent staffer, told the Human Services committee the public health department seeks to increase the preschool one-to-one aide reimbursement from $17 to $24 per half-hour to better cover rising costs and make the county more competitive in recruiting aides. "The current rate is at $17 for a half hour session. We're asking that that rate gets increased to $24 per half hour," Austin said, citing a cost analysis provided by school districts.
Staff explained that one-to-one aides allow students to remain in their regular preschool classroom rather than being placed in specialized center-based programs that can cost many thousands in tuition and transport. For the county budget, Austin said that with the currently known single student receiving the aid, the requested increase would add about $7,200 to the county share, and noted that roughly 59% of these costs are reimbursed by New York State.
Committee members raised questions about the size of the increase and the budget impact; staff and members discussed the high cost of center placements and the administrative burden of collecting fees. The committee later approved a draft resolution to update the county's preschool special education rate schedule effective July 1, 2026, and authorized the director of public health to amend provider agreements accordingly.
