May 4, 2016 at 1:00 PM - Special Meeting

Description:  There remains a need for a classroom that would address the needs of students behavioral challenges.  Based on discussion at the last board meeting, additional information was requested by the board including how the behavior class would be funded.  Here are 3 different scenarios that should be considered.

Funding Options:

1. Fund the behavior class just like the PPCD and Life Skills classes are funded.

2. Fund the same way PLUS pay for any needed trainings, materials and supplies needed to set up and maintain the class.

3. Fund the same way PLUS pay a fee if a district wants to be able to potentially place a student in the class

AND/OR

4. Sending districts only pay a daily rate and/or fee per student sent.

Other Options to Consider:

1. Consider instructional arrangement of 90s vs. 40s.

2. Each district would be responsible for serving their own students with the Support of the SSA

3. Not having a Behavior cluster class, but the SSA provides a specific training program focusing on addressing the full range of behavioral needs for all interested districts.

Recommendation:  After review and discussion, the management board is advised to approve a way to fund the behavior class that will best support the district it is placed in. 

Description:  Currently the cluster class sites for the 2016-17 school year are:
    •PPCD- Hubbard ISD
    •Secondary Life Skills -Penelope ISD
There continues to be a need for a second PPCD classroom and Behavior classroom. 

Recommendation:  After review and discussion, the management board is advised to approve both a second PPCD classroom and a behavior classroom to meet the needs of students in HCSSA.

Description:  HCSSA has adopted pay scales for all job titles except COTA.  Please see attached proposed COTA pay scale.

Recommendation: After review and discussion, the management board is advised to adopt the proposed salary scale for COTAs.

Description:  Nikki Gonzalez, our recently hired COTA, is being paid above what our pay scale indicates.  When hired, we did not have a COTA pay scale in place and came up with a salary that seemed to be fair.  Upon further investigation, that salary seems to be high based on her 2 year degree.  The decision needs to be made now whether we should freeze her salary until she "catches up" to where that salary lines up on the salary scale or reduce her salary next year to where it should be.

Recommendation: After review and discussion, the management board is advised to determine how the COTAs salary should be adjusted for next year.

Description:  Per the HCSSA Agreement:

    6.2    Except as provided in section 6.7 (Fiscal Agent Fee), state budget, administrative and uncontrollable costs shall be allocated based upon the following formula:

            The following calculation shall be used to ascribe to each District the amounts to which the member district owes.  Numbers for these calculations shall come from the previous year's PEIMS submission.  The SSA shall sum the following:  WFTE and WMSADA for each member district.  Each member district's combined WFTE and WMSADA will be divided into the total WFTE and WMSADA to determine the percentage for each member district.  MDP = (District (WFTE + WMSADA)/ All District (WFTE + WMSADA).  MDP= Member District Percentage of Costs and Benefits, WFTE = Special Education Weighted Full Time Equivalent, WMSADA = Weighted Mainstream Average Daily Attendance.

Included in Local fund assignment costs are salaries, materials, and supplies including iPads' for students with AU, legal advice, fiscal agent fee, audit, trainings for staff, including conferences, ESC training, and training outside  of ESC, CPI training offered by SSA to all member districts, SSA training provided to teachers, software programs including eStar; sped and 504, micro sped, translation of English to parents first language, testing materials, copier, Boardbook, fingerprinting, laptops to conduct ARDs, utilities and insurance.

Per the HCSSA Agreement:
    
    6.4    SSA expenditures for related services, materials, special equipment and assistive technology devices will be provided for member districts from HCSSA funds according to the individual needs of eligible special education students as identified and approved by ARD committees.  If significant ($2000 or more) funds are needed for an individual student, the Special Education Director of the HCSSA must be notified prior to an ARD meeting and given an opportunity to be involved in the ARD committee process.

SSA staff that are paid out of local fund assignment also bill for SHARS and that money goes back to the districts.