Pupil Services and Special Education: $28M in Proposed Spending
Tonight, February 12, the Jericho School District will hold Budget Workshop #2, focusing on pupil personnel services—the district's support systems for students with special needs, health services, guidance, psychological services, and library programs. These six budget codes represent $28 million in proposed spending for 2026–2027, an increase of $833,731 over the current year.
The presentation will be led by Victor Manuel, Assistant Superintendent for Business, and will address codes 2250 (Special Education), 2610 (Library and Media), 2810 (Guidance), 2815 (Health Services), 2820 (Psychological Services), and 2825 (Social Work Services).
Based on the budget documents released ahead of tonight's presentation, this article examines the key trends, numbers, and areas that warrant Board attention.
The Numbers: Growth Across All Areas
Workshop #2 areas show net growth of 3.1%, exceeding both inflation and enrollment trends:
Program Area | 2025-26 Budget | 2026-27 Budget | Increase | % Growth |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Special Education | $21,310,802 | $21,933,560 | $622,758 | 2.9% |
Health Services | $999,711 | $1,077,966 | $78,255 | 7.8% |
Guidance | $2,178,001 | $2,220,264 | $42,263 | 1.9% |
Psychological Services | $1,373,673 | $1,426,810 | $53,137 | 3.9% |
Social Work Services | $282,009 | $297,008 | $14,999 | 5.3% |
Library & Media | $1,066,343 | $1,088,662 | $22,319 | 2.1% |
Total | $27,210,539 | $28,044,270 | $833,731 | 3.1% |
Every program area is increasing. The smallest increase is 1.9% (Guidance). The largest is 7.8% (Health Services).
Context matters: Total district enrollment declined from 3,674 to 3,592 students (-82 students, -2.2%). Per-student costs in these areas are rising faster than enrollment is falling.
The presentation materials state the district will "Continue to pursue efficiencies in all areas of the district budget." The Board should ask where those efficiencies appear in these numbers.
Special Education: $21.9M and Driving Growth
Special education dominates Workshop #2 spending, representing 78% of the total ($21.9M of $28M). The proposed budget shows a $622,758 increase (2.9%) despite a slight decline in classified students.
Enrollment Context
The presentation shows current special education enrollment as:
Total classified students (K-12): 287 (7.99% of total enrollment)
In-district placement: 270 students (94.08%)
Out-of-district placement: 17 students (5.92%)
Pre-K classified: 27 students
The number of students placed out-of-district increased from 14 to 17 (+21.4%), while total classified enrollment remained essentially flat (289 to 287).
Staffing: Reducing Teachers, Maintaining Aides
The presentation shows the following staffing for 2026–27:
Position Category | Staffing Level | Change from Current |
|---|---|---|
Director/Curriculum Associates | 3.0 FTE | No change |
Facilitators (Elementary, MS, HS, Transition, 504, ENL) | 6.0 FTE | No change |
Special Class Teachers | 13.76 FTE | -0.8 FTE |
Co-Teachers | 17.5 FTE | -1.4 FTE |
Speech/Hearing/Physical Therapy | 13.0 FTE | No change |
Learning Center Instructors | 40 positions | "As needed" |
Teacher Aides | 117 positions | "As needed" |
The district is reducing certified teaching positions (special class teachers and co-teachers) by a combined 2.2 FTE while increasing spending on teacher aides and out-of-district placements.
Support Staff Ratios: 117 Aides for 287 Students
Teacher aide costs are budgeted at $5,555,491 for 2026–27, an increase of $412,482 (+8.0%) over the current year. The district currently employs 117 teacher aides to support 287 classified students—a ratio of 2.45 students per aide.
Combined with 40 Learning Center Instructors (budgeted at $3,272,021), the district employs 157 support staff members to serve 287 classified students, or 1.83 students per support staff member.
Together, teacher aides and learning center instructors cost $8,827,512—40.2% of the total special education budget.
The Board should seek comparison data showing how this ratio compares to state requirements, recommended practices, and peer districts. The interaction between reduced certified positions and increased aide costs also warrants clarification.
Out-of-District Costs: Up 21.8%
Out-of-district costs represent the single largest area of growth in the special education budget:
Placement Type | 2025-26 Budget | 2026-27 Budget | Increase |
|---|---|---|---|
Private School Tuition | $880,000 | $1,100,000 | +$220,000 (+25%) |
BOCES Tuition & Services | $1,500,000 | $1,800,000 | +$300,000 (+20%) |
Total OOD Costs | $2,380,000 | $2,900,000 | +$520,000 (+21.8%) |
The presentation states the private tuition budget covers "5 students + 2 contingency" and BOCES covers "10 students + 3 contingency, plus itinerant services."
The math:
Private tuition: $1,100,000 ÷ 7 students = $157,143 per student
BOCES: $1,800,000 ÷ 13 students = $138,462 per student (if all goes to tuition)
But the enrollment data shows only 17 total students currently placed out-of-district. The budgeted numbers (7 private + 13 BOCES = 20 students) exceed actual placements by three students.
This 21.8% increase in out-of-district costs with stable enrollment represents a significant cost driver. The Board should understand what's driving this growth and whether any of these placements could be served in-district with program modifications.
Professional Services: Flat at $1.5M
The professional services line (2250.449) is budgeted at $1,500,000—unchanged from the prior year. This line covers academic support, behavior intervention services, staff consultations, diagnostic evaluations, home instruction, occupational therapy, parent training, physical therapy, speech services, and skilled nursing services.
This raises a strategic question: How can professional services remain flat at $1.5M when out-of-district tuition is increasing by $520,000, aide costs are increasing by $412,000, and the total special education budget is increasing by $622,758?
The presentation provides no vendor breakdown, no competitive bidding history, and no analysis of which services could be brought in-house.
Administrative Structure: 8 Positions for 287 Students
The special education administrative structure includes:
1 Director of Pupil Personnel Services
2 Curriculum Associates (PK-5 and 6-12)
3 Special Education Facilitators (Elementary, Middle School, High School)
1 Coordinator (Transition, CPSE, Out-of-District)
1 K-12 504 Facilitator (shared with ENL Facilitator count)
Total administrative salaries: approximately $1,947,667.
This represents 8 administrative positions serving 287 classified students, or 35.9 students per administrator, at a cost of $6,783 per classified student.
By comparison, Guidance has 1 Curriculum Associate + 3 clerical staff serving 3,592 students = ~$83.52 per student in administrative overhead, and Psychological Services has 1 secretary serving 3,592 students = $14.76 per student.
The Board should seek comparative data from peer districts to evaluate whether this administrative structure is aligned with standard practice.
Health Services: 7 Nurses, 8.7% Salary Growth
Health Services shows the highest percentage increase of any Workshop #2 area, rising 7.8% to $1,077,966.
The district employs 7 nurses (unchanged) to serve 5 school buildings. Nurse salaries are increasing from $748,711 to $813,966—an 8.7% increase with zero staffing change.
The math: $813,966 ÷ 7 nurses = $116,281 average salary per nurse.
Additional costs include:
BOCES Health Services: $180,000 (up from $162,000)
Out-of-District Health Services: $40,000 (down from $45,000)
Contractual Services: $21,000 (flat)
Supplies: $22,000 (flat)
The 8.7% salary increase with no staffing change should be explained—whether it's entirely contractual or driven by other factors. The BOCES health services line ($180,000) also warrants detail about what services are purchased and whether alternatives exist.
Guidance: Adding One Counselor
Guidance services are budgeted at $2,220,264, an increase of $42,263 (1.9%).
The district is adding one elementary counselor, bringing total counselor staffing to 12. With total enrollment at 3,592 students, this creates a ratio of approximately 299 students per counselor.
Clerical support (3 positions: 2 at the high school, 1 at the middle school) will cost $159,403, an increase of 12.9% with no staffing change noted.
The Board should understand what's driving the addition of an elementary counselor and how the 299:1 ratio compares to American School Counselor Association recommendations (250:1) and peer districts.
Psychological Services: $1,426,810 (+3.9%)
8 psychologists serving 3,592 students (449:1 ratio)
1 secretary
$15,000 in consultant services
Social Work Services: $297,008 (+5.3%)
2 social workers serving 3,592 students
No support staff
With 8 psychologists, 2 social workers, and 12 counselors—22 total mental health and student support professionals—the Board should understand the functional differences between these roles and whether any consolidation opportunities exist.
Library and Media Services: Automation Costs Rising
Library services are budgeted at $1,088,662, a 2.1% increase.
Staffing remains unchanged:
MS/HS: 2 librarians, 2 library aides, 1 library clerk
Elementary: 3 librarians (one per building)
Librarian salaries are increasing 5.6% to $767,987 (average: $153,597 per librarian).
Support staff salaries declined 21.4% to $79,600—a reduction the presentation does not explain.
The BOCES Library Automation Program costs $98,000 annually, up from $95,000.
The Board should ask what support staff position was eliminated to account for the 21.4% salary decrease, and what the $98,000 BOCES automation system includes and when it was last competitively bid.
BOCES: $2.1M Across Multiple Services
Across Workshop #2 areas, BOCES services total $2,101,000:
Service | Cost |
|---|---|
Special Education Tuition & Services | $1,800,000 |
Health Services | $180,000 |
Library Automation | $98,000 |
Guidance Information System | $23,000 |
Total | $2,101,000 |
The presentation provides no detailed breakdown of what these services include, no competitive bidding history, and no analysis of whether they could be provided in-house or contracted separately.
While BOCES operates as a regional cooperative and districts are statutorily required to participate in its administrative structure, participation in specific services is optional. The Board should understand what it is purchasing and whether alternatives exist.
What the Budget Claims vs. What the Numbers Show
The budget presentation states the district will:
"Continue to pursue efficiencies in all areas of the district budget."
The numbers tell a different story:
All six program areas are increasing
No program area was reduced or eliminated
Out-of-district tuition is increasing 21.8%
Health Services salaries are increasing 8.7% with zero staffing change
Teacher aide costs are increasing 8.0% while certified teaching positions are being reduced
BOCES costs are increasing across all service categories
No services are being brought in-house to reduce vendor dependence
The smallest increase is 1.9%. The largest is 7.8%. The weighted average is 3.1%.
These are baseline cost increases, not efficiency gains.
What to Watch For Tonight
As the Board reviews these budget areas tonight, several themes warrant attention:
On Special Education:
The interaction between reduced certified positions (-2.2 FTE teachers) and increased aide costs (+$412K)
The 21.8% growth in out-of-district costs and whether any placements could be brought back in-district
Justification for 157 support staff serving 287 students (1.83:1 ratio)
Vendor transparency for the $1.5M professional services line
Administrative staffing structure (8 positions for 287 students)
On Health Services:
Explanation for 8.7% salary growth with no staffing change
Detail on $180,000 in BOCES health services
Nurse-to-student ratios by building
On All Programs:
Where the "efficiencies" are, given that all areas increased
Five-year cost trends and peer district comparisons
BOCES service detail for all $2.1M in purchases
Program effectiveness metrics beyond inputs (staff and spending)
On Fiscal Strategy:
How the district reconciles 3.1% spending growth with -2.2% enrollment decline
What specific cost containment measures were implemented
Whether any vendor contracts were competitively rebid
What Happens Next
Tonight's presentation is the second in a four-part budget development process:
March 3: Instruction, technology, co-curriculars, athletics, transportation, and benefits
March 12: Full revenue and expenditure review
March 26: Budget adoption
The budget will be presented to voters in May.
The Bottom Line
Tonight's presentation will cover $28 million in proposed spending for pupil services, library, and support programs—up $833,731 from the current year.
Special education drives the costs, representing 78% of Workshop #2 spending. Within special education, out-of-district placements and support staff costs are growing significantly faster than enrollment.
The Board has stated its commitment to efficiency and fiscal responsibility. Tonight's presentation offers an opportunity to demonstrate that commitment through detailed questioning, data requests, and demand for comparative analysis.
Because once the budget is adopted on March 26, these numbers—and the priorities they represent—become final.