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Finance committee warns special‑education reserves may be tapped as costs rise
Summary
Finance staff told members the special‑education special‑revenue account has a substantial balance but rising out‑of‑district tuition and contract services may require a drawdown and a supplemental appropriation that must be approved by the Board of Education and Board of Aldermen.
Miss Degray told the Finance & Operations Committee on April 20 that the district’s special‑education special‑revenue account (account 2257) carries a substantial closing fund balance but that rising contract services and out‑of‑district tuition may force the district to use trust funds or request a supplemental appropriation.
"We will probably have to pull a decent chunk from the special ed trust fund," Miss Degray said, and added the board of education would need to approve any supplemental appropriation before it goes to the Board of Aldermen.
Why this matters: Special‑education costs (contract services, out‑of‑district tuition, transportation) make up a large share of the district budget; if federal grants such as Title I decline while enrollments or service intensity rise, the district may need to reallocate operating resources or eliminate positions to balance the budget.
Details and figures: Miss Degray pointed to tuition sources that bolster the special‑revenue account (for example, the Brentwood program and preschool billing) and said the packet lists a closing fund balance of about $3,000,861. She said contract services and tuition costs have grown and that, if expenditures exceed budgeted amounts, the district will bring a supplemental appropriation request to the Board of Education and the Board of Aldermen.
Federal grants and staffing strategy: Committee members asked whether federal grants have decreased. Miss Degray said Title I allocations for next year appear to be down roughly 6 percent and that IDEA is expected to be flat or slightly less. Dr. Andrade and others described a long‑term approach that prioritizes early‑education investments and local partnerships (including a new pathway at Nashua Community College referenced by staff) to develop paraprofessionals and teachers and reduce long‑term special‑education demand.
Transportation and cost sharing: A question about line 44707 (special‑education transportation) prompted Miss Degray to explain that Nashua charges sending districts cost‑sharing when Nashua provides transportation for special‑education students; that cost‑sharing and state reimbursement entries are part of the account’s revenue side.
Next steps: Miss Degray said the administration will present more detailed forecasts next week and that the committee will get a full monthly forecast and a legal/financial worksheet in May to guide whether the district should request a supplemental appropriation.
