Walworth County board adopts mileage-reimbursement procedure for Lakeland School early childhood families

The Walworth County Children with Disabilities Education Board on May 22 approved a mileage-reimbursement procedure to compensate families who provide eligible transportation for Lakeland School early childhood students.

Presenters Heather Poducek (business office) and Ginger Lytle (confidential secretary) told the board that most early childhood students ride buses but when family transport is the appropriate option, families may be eligible for reimbursement. Staff said they reviewed procedures from other districts, combined preferred practices, and drafted a transportation agreement and invoice workflow now included in the meeting packet.

Under the approved process a student’s eligibility is determined and the family and the special-education director (identified in the transcript as Mr. Hittle) sign a transportation agreement. The family is set up as a vendor in Munis, the district’s financial software, and staff will process internal invoices monthly with attached attendance reports to calculate final reimbursement. Rates will follow the IRS standard mileage rate and the transportation agreement will be reviewed each fall (September) and again in January.

Staff said there are seven early childhood students this year and that four will age into kindergarten next year, which would reduce the early-childhood caseload; presenters also noted only one family is currently receiving reimbursement. The board moved and seconded adoption of the procedure and approved it by voice vote.

The transcript does not record specific dollar amounts per student in the approved policy; it does note the use of IRS mileage rates to calculate payments.