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Schools

District Prepares for State Cuts in Special Ed Aid

Administrators warn of shortfall of $574K.

Darien school administrators warn the state will likely reduce aid to the town, causing the district to face a shortfall of $574,000 aid for special education.

Under state law, school districts that spend more than 4.5 times their per pupil average on special education students can apply to the state for reimbursement. In 2010-2011, Darien submitted an excess cost receipt of $3,588,722 to the state. The state reimbursed Darien $2,802,547 of those expenses, a rate of 78.1 percent.   

Superintendent Stephen Falcone is currently projecting excess costs will amount to $3,334,310. He projects the state to reimburse the town at a rate of 70 percent.

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“We have turned over every stone,” Falcone said. “We are thoughtful about putting the best teachers in front of our kids.”

“I have looked at cutting back on printing, and reducing intramurals,” Falcone said. “We are closely tracking our fixed costs. We are making adjustments in special education.”

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Anticipating the possible shortfall, Darien administrators are considering these actions:

  • Suspending unencumbered operating spending—$500,000
  • Deferring a heating oil purchase—$100,000
  • Suspending professional development—$60,000
  • Suspending intramural sports spending—about $40,000
  • Reducing printing costs—$15,000
  • Delaying hiring of summer employees—$10,000
  • Suspending custodians overtime—$10,000

Finance director Richard Huot said many factors contribute to the district spending additional money on special education students. As a result, there is not one straightforward formula that produces a definitive unchanging number.  

“Those are projections,” Huot said. “By the time we reach March, school districts adjust costs student by student.”

Board of Education Chairman Elizabeth Hagerty-Ross suggested that school officials analyze special education costs to see where inefficiencies might be reduced.

“If we are going to be more efficient, then we need to have a lower submission,” she said. “We need more information on lines of special education. We need to have a handle on what they are and where they might go. We also need a plan to address the starting point where we are today.”

The Darien Board of Finance is asking the school board to provide an estimate on the state’s "rate of reimbursement in excess costs expenditures" (the technical name for the special ed aid) for the present fiscal year.

Board member Clara Sartori suggested giving a lower-than-probable figure in order to manage expectations.

“Regarding the excess cost, we used to give the Board of Finance a much lower number [as our projected reimbursement percentage],” she said. “If we get more, we can build the special ed reserve again.”

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