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Board approves Kinship Academy contract amendment amid special‑education cost concerns
Summary
The board approved an amendment to a Kinship Academy nonpublic-school contract (not-to-exceed $306,512.50 per staff summary) after discussion about staffing, in-district alternatives and rising NPS costs; the motion passed 4–0–1 (one abstention).
The Franklin McKinley School District board approved an amendment to a contract with Kinship Academy, a nonpublic school (NPS) used for specialized special-education placements. The amendment was described in the agenda as increasing the not-to-exceed amount; the motion to approve passed 4–0–1 with one abstention.
Board Member Cooper questioned the fiscal impact and whether the district could provide services in-house. "An additional $100,925,100,925 dollars is requested, making the new not to exceed contract amount be $306,512.50," Cooper said while reading the financial-impact language in the agenda and urging the district to seek in‑district options where possible. She also referenced a list the district provided showing about 10 students placed in NPS settings and remarked that the cost for those placements amounted to "almost $2,400,000." (The agenda materials describe the final not‑to‑exceed number as $306,512.50.)
The superintendent explained that some students’ needs require services the district does not currently staff, that bringing such programs in-house would require hiring specialized staff, and that decisions about placement are made through individualized education program (IEP) teams with parental consent. He reiterated that the district is building counseling‑enriched programs at Sylvan Dale and is reviewing opportunities to bring students back in‑district when feasible. The board approved the Kinship amendment by voice vote with one abstention.
