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Board hears that special-education costs are rising while reimbursements fall
Summary
Superintendent and staff told the board that special-education enrollment has grown and that state reimbursements (including catastrophic aid) have not kept pace, leaving the district to cover substantial costs from its general fund.
Board members and district staff highlighted growing special-education needs and the fiscal strain that creates for the general fund. "School districts are required to offer what they call FAPE, which is a free in public education, an appropriate public education to students who are considered to be students with disabilities," the superintendent said, explaining the district's legal obligations and associated staffing costs.
Staff described that some students require multiple adults, specialized services and, in some cases, placements in other districts that the Indian Hill general fund must pay for. Mick Davis said the district's catastrophic-aid reimbursements have not kept up and noted a substantial year-to-year swing in reimbursed dollars; he said more districts are applying for aid, which affects available pools. The board discussed the fiscal need to plan for these recurring special-education costs in the five-year forecast and to continue pursuing sustainable revenue and expenditure approaches.
