District 25 May Get Financial Boost for Special Education

A review of District 25’s Special Services Department that is proving controversial among parents did yield a silver lining; the district may qualify for thousands of dollars in Medicaid funding.

Futures Education, a Springfield-based firm that conducted the review, found the district has not applied for Direct Service Medicaid Billing for Medicaid-eligible students. Applying for the funding could bring the district about $285,000 a year, the firm stated.

The amount is in addition to the $100,000 the district already receives for another Medicaid program, bringing the total to $385,000 a year. There maybe an opportunity to also receive retroactive monies, according to the firm.

Special Services Director Amiee LeBlanc said the department will be exploring its options.

“I would think that is reported back to us as soon as possible, especially since some of the money is retroactive,” District 25 Board chairman Dave Page said.

A few things the district must do is figure out how the billing would be done and obtain parental authorizations for Medicaid billing, consultants said.

“There is a time element involved,” LeBlanc said, of gathering the data needed for the Medicaid funding. “We will be exploring options which will have the least impact on staff.”