Special ed funding consultant proposed

&emsp;&emsp;The Avonworth School Board is expected to vote next week on a recommendation that the district hire a consultant to focus on student services, and particularly on increasing reimbursement for growing costs.&emsp;&emsp;Director of Student Services Dr. Justin Karim told board members at Monday's work session that "student services"covers a broad area, from the school nurses and guidance counselors to gifted students needing more challenging instruction and special needs students needing specialized instruction to address physical and intellectual challenges.&emsp;&emsp;It is the special education area that carries the greatest cost, legal requirements and funding challenges.&emsp;&emsp;Karim said that Avonworth currently has 299 students enrolled in special education district-wide. In 2009, he said, the state conducted a study that indicated that per-student special education costs is 1.3 times the average cost of educating a student. Funding can come from both federal and state sources, but local tax dollars end up carrying about 73 percent of the cost, Karim said.&emsp;&emsp; One critical aspect of funding special education is the School Based ACCESS Program SBAP, which allows school districts to receive reimbursements for certain services provided to students enrolled in Medicaid. Avonworth currently contracts with the Allegheny Intermediate Unit (AIU) to manage SBAP, Karim said, but recent changes in the program have resulted in decreased reimbursements for a number of school districts, including Avonworth.&emsp;&emsp;Karim is recommending that Avonworth sever its connection with the AIU and instead hire a consultant who would coordinate SBAP matters. The proposed consultant, Dr. Suzanne DaSilva, would be paid $35 per hour for about 12 hours of work per week.&emsp;&emsp;According to Karim's recommendation to the board, " Dr. DaSilva would set up an internal process to streamline SBAP, train staff on how to complete logs for reimbursement, train teachers on how to ensure they are documenting appropriately to meet eligibility requirements, sign Medical Practitioner Authorizations (MPAs), and help us maximize our reimbursement."&emsp;&emsp;Karim said that DaSilva has performed the same services for other school districts with the end result being increased reimbursements for costs. Karim estimated that Avonworth could receive $80,000 - $100,000 in reimbursements per year.&emsp;&emsp;With more funding coming into the district, Karim said, he recommends that Avonworth hire a social worker who could provide many of the services that would be covered by SBAP. ***&emsp;&emsp;In the reorganization of the Avonworth School Board held Monday, board members John Brandt and Yu-Lin Cheng exchanged seats at the head of the tables. Brandt was unanimously elected board president for the next year, while Cheng moved from the president's chair to Brandt's position as vice president.***&emsp;&emsp;The renovation of the high school auditorium is continuing to prove challenging, as new discoveries will result in the completion of that portion of Avonworth's massive construction project being delayed.&emsp;&emsp;Construction manager Nancy Rounsley told the board at Monday's work session that it was discovered that there is a level difference between the seating areas and the aisles of one-half to three-quarters of an inch. That becomes a problem because the district is planning to install tile carpeting, Rounsley said, and the difference could result in improperly fitting tiles.&emsp;&emsp;The cost to level the auditorium floor is about $18,000.&emsp;&emsp;Board members will vote next week on whether to approve additional change orders for the auditorium to add the replacement of the sound booth at a cost of $7,415, as well as the installation of additional steel supports for lighting.&emsp;&emsp; &emsp;&emsp; &emsp;&emsp;