By GLYNIS HART
[email protected]
NEWPORT — School districts are struggling with special education costs, with cost cutting in other areas failing to balance out the rise in spending on special needs. In Newport unforeseen costs for special education have resulted in this year’s budget catching up to last year’s expenses.
At the Nov. 15 meeting the district presented its default budget for the 2018-19 fiscal year.
The Newport school district divided last year’s special ed costs into two years, paying 60 percent from last year’s budget and 40 percent from this year’s. The district budget for fiscal year 2018-19 includes $576,280 for out-of-district placements, plus $148,533 for transportation to and from those services. It also includes leftover costs from last year, that weren’t covered by the budget: another $298,077 for out-of-district instruction, with $82,905 for transportation.
Resident Bert Spaulding, who sued the district in 2017 for inadequate transparency on budget issues, questioned the legality of the 60/40 arrangement at the Nov. 15 SAU 43 school board meeting.
“It’s a legal requirement that you spend what you told us you would spend,” said Spaulding. “It’s a deficit appropriation; you’re bypassing statutory process.”
School board president Linda Wadensten said she wasn’t happy with it either, but the majority vote decided to do it that way. “Everybody else agreed to go with 60 percent and [roll the rest into the next budget].”
Finance Director Teresa Taylor said she would call the state Department of Revenue Administration to find out whether they could do it or not.
Spaulding said, “The pledge to find out that you do it legally is sufficient for me right now.”
The Education for All Handicapped Children Act, a federal law established in 1975, states: “Disability is a natural part of the human experience and in no way diminishes the right of individuals to participate in or contribute to society. Improving educational results for children with disabilities is an essential element of our national policy of ensuring equality of opportunity, full participation, independent living and economic self-sufficiency for individuals with disabilities.” The law was updated in 2004 and renamed the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA). However, federal funding that should have accompanied the law has fallen far short of the 40 percent funding Congress pledged at the time of the act. Currently federal funds cover just 7.5 percent of the cost of special education in New Hampshire.
A 2018 report by the National Council on Disability stated: “The lack of federal support places considerable pressure on state and local budgets, resulting in a range of actions including one state placing an illegal cap on IDEA identification, districts and schools limiting hiring of personnel and providers, districts and schools restricting service hours, and districts and schools reducing or eliminating other general programs.” The NCD report, submitted to President Trump in February, recommended the federal government fund special education at the original 40 percent level.
In Newport, the district is hoping to prevent another situation where special ed spending outstrips the amount budgeted. Wadensten said eight children have been included in the budget projection this year who may not end up needing all the services.
“We decided to go with the at-risk potential,” said Wadensten. “Last year we budgeted only 60 percent of the actual cost. This year we’re making a calculated risk these eight kids will indeed go out of district.”
Children who receive special education services the district does not provide have the services paid for by their home district.
The next SAU 43/Newport School Board meeting is tonight at 6 p.m., Dec. 4 in the Lou Thompson Room of the Sugar River Valley Tech. Center
As your daily newspaper, we are committed to providing you with important local news coverage for Sullivan County and the surrounding areas.