Palmyra Board accepts federal grants and approves multiple out-of-district special-education placements totaling six figures

At its Aug. 13 meeting the Palmyra Board of Education accepted federal grant awards and approved several out-of-district placements for students with special needs, with the district recording specific tuition figures for ESY and regular school-year placements.

The board accepted IDEA-Basic funding of $326,421 and IDEA-PreK funding of $8,804, and approved ESEA awards including Title I ($172,658), Title II-A ($23,993), Title IV ($12,202), SIA ($82,500) and a Title III immigrant allocation ($2,684). The board also recorded its decision not to apply for a separate Title III grant in 2025–26 ($7,106).

Board members approved multiple out-of-district placements and associated costs for the 2025–26 school year and ESY. Notable entries on the agenda included placements at Bancroft with ESY tuition entries of $11,338.50 and regular school-year tuition amounts listed as $68,031.00 and, in a higher-cost case, ESY tuition $14,305.80 with a regular tuition figure of $85,834.80 plus extraordinary-services costs listed at $57,750 (July–June). Other placements included Kingsway Learning Center and Hampton Academy with per-student regular-year tuitions recorded in the agenda.

The board also accepted ESY placements and 1:1 aid figures for Burlington County Special Services School District (BCSSSD) ESY placements and approved use of outside providers for psychiatric and neurological evaluations at stated per-evaluation rates ($550 and $450, respectively).

These approvals were taken as part of the consent agenda and recorded in the meeting minutes; superintendent and business-office staff will proceed with billing and assignments per contract and grant rules.