Board discusses scope and likely cost of a special‑education audit; IEP review suggested as a starting focus

District staff briefed the committee on conversations with peer districts that recently pursued special‑education audits. Staff said audit bids they reviewed ranged from about $110,000 to $130,000, while one district reported implementation recommendations that would have cost roughly $5,100,000 to enact. Committee members recommended the district narrow an audit’s focus—several suggested starting with the IEP review process—and to contact multiple vendors to develop a targeted RFP.

"The range is from about 110,000 to about 130,000," a staff member reported when describing peer district audit bids; later, staff noted that Allentown’s implementation costs were substantially larger in their example. Board members discussed vendor interviews, how focused scopes produce deeper results than overly broad audits, and whether to seek input from neighboring districts about which firms they consulted.

No formal motion or procurement decision was made; staff said next steps would include contacting prospective vendors, refining scope (the IEP process was mentioned repeatedly as a good starting point), and returning to the board with an RFP recommendation.