SMETHPORT — The decision by the Otto-Eldred School District to assume responsibility for learning support and enrichment programs in the 2014-15 academic year will affect staffing changes at Seneca Highlands Intermediate Unit Nine, which now offers these services, according to action the IU9 directors took on Tuesday
The curtailment of the learning support classes involves five teachers, all of whom are professional employees; four will be transferred to the school district, while one is retiring at the close of the school year.
In the case of the enrichment classes, the teacher is a temporary professional employee without transfer rights.
In a related development, the IU9 board members learned of the Northern Potter School District directors’ vote on April 14, which reversed an earlier move to assume responsibility for the operation of their speech and language support program, also beginning in 2014-15, and will remain with the IU9 speech support program.
Another vote saw the IU9 board unanimously adopt a resolution urging state lawmakers, the Corbett Administration and the Department of Education to demand that the Department of Public Welfare and the Public Consulting Group remove the “unprecedented barriers and requirements recently imposed to restrict the Medical Assistance reimbursement through the Medical Assistance School Based Access program for essential services to Pennsylvania’s most vulnerable children.”
It was noted during the discussion prior to this vote that IU9, like many other school districts and intermediate units across the state, rely on federal Medical Assistance reimbursements through the Medical Assistance School Based Access program to help fund essential services to students with disabilities. However, changes to eligible services for Medical Assistance has also resulted in the loss of significant funding, and without the timely and consistent disbursements of this money from the Department of Public Welfare to IU9 for services that children are entitled to by law, would have to be funded through local revenue.
As stated in the resolution, “More than $28 million in school district and intermediate unit reimbursement claims have been rejected by the DPW due to its insistence on evidence that a private insurer will not cover these services where there is no experience or precedent in Pennsylvania or in any other state in the union that private insurers cover these services.
“Pennsylvania is the only state in the country that requires a blanket letter of denial as a condition for a school district to receive Medical Assistance reimbursement through the Medical Assistance School Based Access program.”
In other news, the board approved the renewal of the business office software maintenance agreement with Harris School Solutions for budgetary accounting, requisitions, accounts receivable, payroll and personnel an the employee web portal for July 1 through June 30, 2015 at a cost of $11,279.16. Included in this fee are monthly maintenance, new releases, technical support and training.
Joe Bennett, the Otto-Eldred School District representative on the IU9 board, questioned the expense, which represents a five percent increase over the old contract, saying it exceeds the cost of living increase.
Anita Danielson, assistant to the IU9 executive director, explained this company notifies the IU about changes from the Pennsylvania Department of Education and the health care reform act.
Bennett said that in future contracts he favors having companies justify their fee increases.
With one dissenting vote, the directors approved two additional plans to the Seneca Highlands Insurance Consortium. While both of these are high deductible Preferred Provider Organization plans with deductibles of $1,250/$2,500 and $2,500/$5,000, they are options that school districts could use to help address the increasing costs of insurance and the way employees use health care.
“The school boards would have to approve these options and could fund a Health Retirement Account or a Health Savings Account to help offset the higher deductibles,” Danielson said.
Also approved was a resolution supporting the Education Consortium of the Upper Allegheny and its partnering with Gannon University in an effort to establish a community college to this region. If successful, this would be the only college of its type north of Interstate 80 and could provide affordable associate degree programming, an opportunity that is sorely needed.
Executive director Don Wismar reported that IU9 will host a second Legislative Day from 7 to 9 p.m. May 1. Presenters are not known at this time.
