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Barker officials flag sharp special‑education tuition rise in 2025‑26 budget planning
Summary
Business staff told the board Special Education Tuition is projected to total $2,675,000—an increase of $896,000—while other lines (BOCES, insurance, transportation) were also reviewed; administrators warned state aid runs and placement patterns make the budget uncertain.
Business official Mr. Carter presented a line‑by‑line update on development of the 2025–26 budget and listed four district budget priorities: align spending to district goals, responsibly use taxpayer dollars, support the seven‑year plan and seek public and advisory input.
Cautioning that some figures remain preliminary, Carter walked trustees through several notable changes: workers' compensation is projected to remain flat at about $46,233; the district's health consortium voted for a 1% plan increase but Carter used a conservative 2.5% projection; and several BOCES lines—administration, capital and CTE—showed modest increases tied to contract settlements and enrollment projections.
Carter highlighted special‑education tuition as a major driver of next year’s spending. "Special Education Tuition... totals $2,675,000 which is an increase of $896,000 from last year," he said, and explained how private excess cost aid, public excess cost aid and STAC deductions factor into the net exposure. He told trustees that the district will monitor staffing and placement changes and review impacts with the Budget Advisory Committee on Feb. 24.
Superintendent Reimer and business staff said state aid runs remain in flux; the board was told the next state budget run may arrive only days before the next meeting, complicating final projections. The board did not adopt a final budget at the meeting but received direction to continue monitoring and to return to the board with revised runs and staffing assumptions.
