SMETHPORT — The directors of the Seneca Highlands Intermediate Unit 9 Education Services on Monday approved requests from the Bradford Area and Oswayo Valley school districts to receive services through the IU9 Virtual Academy for 2019-20.

The districts’ costs will depend on their levels of participation.

IU9 partners with Allegheny Intermediate Unit 3’s Waterfront Learning program to offer schools the ability to provide online courses in which students can participate on a full-time or part-time basis.

The directors OKd an agreement with the Smethport Area School District, through which IU9 is to provide psychological services from October 2019 through June 2020 at a cost of $75 per hour.

The Employee Assistance Program, offered by Employee Services Inc., of Wellsville, N.Y., has been renewed for another year.

The total annual cost for Oct. 1, 2019, through Sept. 30, 2020, is $6,337.38. While this is a two percent increase from last year, it is also a yearly decrease of $150.42 due to a reduction of employees.

The Employee Assistance Program provides appropriate help and support for employees who are experiencing personal difficulties that may affect their job performance.

The Interstate Tax service Bureau has informed the directors that IU9’s unemployment compensation experience for fiscal year ending June 30, 2019, was $69,000 less as a “reimbursement of costs” employer than what it would have been under the state’s UC tax plan. The savings during that time are augmented by a June 30, 2019, balance of $465,000 in the Unemployment Compensation Reserve Account.

The ITSB estimates that IU9 has saved $1.77 million since January 1, 1978.

IU9 directors will not meet in November. The next board meeting is Dec. 10, 2019.