Bristol Township School District (PA) may use stimulus funds for special ed

May 27, 2009 - Bucks County Courier Times
The Bristol Township School District could get a hefty financial break if the school board accepts a recommendation by its business manager to use $367,388 of its $1.5 million federal stimulus funds for the special education department, which includes special education, gifted support and special education supervisors..

If approved, that slice of the stimulus money would cover the cost of one psychologist and 25 part-time assistants who would ordinarily be included in the regular budget.

Federal law requires that the stimulus money be used within two years. District business manager Gerald Barcik said at Tuesday night's budget meeting that the rest of the funds allocated for the first year would have to be used to buy materials and equipment for the special education programs.

The school board has been working to cut $2.7 million from the $121.6 million budget proposed for the 2009-2010 school year.

At previous meetings the board discussed cutting some sports programs and one of the late buses.

James McAnulty, supervisor of special education, told the board that next year's special education budget totals $140,000, down about $15,000 from this year, mostly because of a $10,000 reduction in textbook purchases.

McAnulty also plans to cut $5,000 from the independent evaluations program, which funds independent psycho-educational evaluations when parents disagree with district findings.

The proposed cost for that program for next year is $20,000. The school board will vote on a final budget at its June 15 meeting.