Board approves contracts for exceptional-programs services after staff explains RFP and compensatory needs

Board members discussed a package of contracts on the consent agenda for exceptional-program services — physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech and language services, dyslexia and reading specialists — and staff described how those contracts are driven by individual education program (IEP) referrals and projections rather than a fixed, per-site amount.

The district—s director of exceptional programs (addressed in the meeting as Malake) told the board these contract amounts are projections tied to RFP results and could increase or decrease according to student needs. Staff stressed the district will not pay for undocumented or out-of-scope services and will require Medicaid documentation through MaxCapture and RMTS. The associate superintendent noted contractors had not yet started services as of the first day of school and that approving contractors immediately would require staff to deploy compensatory services to make up missed IEP services.

President Flores moved to return the pulled exceptional-program items (7.5–7.13) to the consent agenda after the discussion; the board then approved the full consent agenda with staff assurances about documentation, legal review and funding-account strings. There was no vote to reject or amend the services themselves; staff said funding for the requests was already budgeted and that the packet includes account strings for verification.