HOWARD — East Knox Local Schools’ special education spending for the last fiscal year did not meet the Maintenance of Effort set by the Ohio Department of Education, district Treasurer Jessica Busenburg reported during a board meeting Thursday.
Under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act, all districts are required to budget and spend for the education of children with disabilities in local, or state and local funds. The amount spent must be at least the same, in total or per capita, as the amount spent in the most recent fiscal year.
“When the financial data was submitted at the end of last year, we did not spend as much (as the previous year), so we have to go through the waiver process by the end of the month,” Busenburg said.
There are a few reasons this may be the case, Busenburg said, including the change of a special education teacher to a remote learning instructor, decreased preschool enrollment due to the COVID-19 pandemic, etc.
Busenburg will check coding of the district’s past financial items to see if they can be adjusted to meet IDEA MOE.
If she finds that the district cannot meet IDEA MOE, it will owe a refund to the federal government “in the amount of the variance between the two fiscal year’s expenditure totals under review,” according to ODE.
Repayment must be paid from state and/or local funds, not federal funds, according to ODE.
In other business, the 2021-22 school year begins next week, and East Knox needs a seventh-grade math teacher as well as two to three intervention specialists, Supt. Steve Larcomb said.
“I won’t even get into who all in the world I’ve called and tried,” Larcomb said regarding the district’s educator search thus far.
As of now, students will be enrolled in seventh-grade math online through Apex Learning System, which the district bought and used last year, with a teacher of record in the classroom.
While this set-up is in place, the district is continuing to look for a permanent solution, Larcomb said.
“If you know somebody, reach out to them,” Larcomb said.
During the treasurer’s report, Busenburg also reported revenues up and expenses down compared to last July.
Additionally, Busenburg recommended a contract, which the board approved Thursday, with Julian and Grube for ongoing consultation services. The contract is $300 per month for one year, and can be renewed next year by board resolution.
Regarding the East Knox Local Schools construction underway, the board approved an item change, which will allow the construction crew to install wall flashing-exiting walls, which prevent water damage by ensuring proper drainage.
The cost of the change, $59,603, is covered by contingency funds, but needed the board’s approval.
The board also discussed the district’s American Rescue Plan Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief III funds application, which is due to the Ohio Department of Education by Aug. 20. The board is still in the application process, so no updates on funding are available at this time.
These funds are the third round of federal government allocated relief funds to public schools during the course of the COVID-19 pandemic. If East Knox receives the ESSER III funds it applies for, the funds can be used in several different ways, including school facility repairs and improvements and other activities needed to continue district operations.
At least 20% of the ESSER III funds will need to be used specifically to address learning loss.
Three residents spoke during Thursday’s meeting, one of which voiced concern about the possibility of mandatory COVID-19 vaccinations by schools. The other two residents, decades-long school neighbors, requested the replacement and installation of fencing on the section of their property abut to the school grounds.
The board will obtain a quote for the replacement/additional fencing.
