Centennial SD awards special-education and school-based therapy contracts; board cited service upgrades and projected savings
May 13, 2026 | Centennial SD, School Districts, Pennsylvania
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The Centennial School District Board of School Directors voted unanimously on May 12 to award RFP 2026-06 for special-education and student-affairs related services to Austell's Educational Therapy Services and the Lincoln Center for a three-year term effective July 1, 2026.
Dr. Heather Hopkins, executive director of student services, presented the RFP timeline and evaluation approach: the district opened applications March 3, received 29 applicants, used a nine-area screening tool to score proposals and interviewed five finalists beginning April 14. Hopkins said the screening considered experience and qualifications, scope of services, staffing models, cost and pricing, references, responsiveness and operational and financial capacity. "This was a process taken very, very seriously," Hopkins said.
Hopkins told the board that Austell's would continue to provide OT and PT and — with additional staffing lead time — provide speech therapy for the district. The Lincoln Center was recommended to provide five school-based mental-health therapists, each described in the contract as master's-level clinicians certified in clinical trauma, plus potential grant-writing support and professional development for district staff. Hopkins said the Lincoln Center had positive references from Norristown and other area districts and noted the group's grant-writing track record as a reason for selection.
Hopkins presented estimated savings tied to provider changes: $141,956 by moving orientation and mobility/vision/hearing services to Niman Associates; $1,158,159.32 by moving speech services to Austell's; and $91,275 by contracting with the Lincoln Center for mental-health counselors — a total the transcript records as roughly $1,391,391.07. Hopkins emphasized service level increases alongside the savings, saying the district would receive more specialized clinicians and improved documentation for IEP delivery.
Board members asked about supervision and grant priorities; Hopkins replied that supervision would be shared between providers and the district and that grant pursuits would be a partnership driven by district needs. After discussion, the board approved the RFP award motion and the related contract approvals by recorded vote (6.7 and related 6.9 items), with the RFP award recorded as passing 8–0.
Contracts for Austell's Rehabilitation (OT/PT/Speech) and the Lincoln Center (five school-based therapists) were included in the contract approvals; the board recorded a per-therapist district cost not to exceed $78,000 for the 2026–27 school year in the Lincoln Center agreement. The contracts are set to take effect July 1, 2026.
The board did not record the name of the original mover for the RFP award in the transcript; the motion was seconded and passed on a full-board vote.
Dr. Heather Hopkins, executive director of student services, presented the RFP timeline and evaluation approach: the district opened applications March 3, received 29 applicants, used a nine-area screening tool to score proposals and interviewed five finalists beginning April 14. Hopkins said the screening considered experience and qualifications, scope of services, staffing models, cost and pricing, references, responsiveness and operational and financial capacity. "This was a process taken very, very seriously," Hopkins said.
Hopkins told the board that Austell's would continue to provide OT and PT and — with additional staffing lead time — provide speech therapy for the district. The Lincoln Center was recommended to provide five school-based mental-health therapists, each described in the contract as master's-level clinicians certified in clinical trauma, plus potential grant-writing support and professional development for district staff. Hopkins said the Lincoln Center had positive references from Norristown and other area districts and noted the group's grant-writing track record as a reason for selection.
Hopkins presented estimated savings tied to provider changes: $141,956 by moving orientation and mobility/vision/hearing services to Niman Associates; $1,158,159.32 by moving speech services to Austell's; and $91,275 by contracting with the Lincoln Center for mental-health counselors — a total the transcript records as roughly $1,391,391.07. Hopkins emphasized service level increases alongside the savings, saying the district would receive more specialized clinicians and improved documentation for IEP delivery.
Board members asked about supervision and grant priorities; Hopkins replied that supervision would be shared between providers and the district and that grant pursuits would be a partnership driven by district needs. After discussion, the board approved the RFP award motion and the related contract approvals by recorded vote (6.7 and related 6.9 items), with the RFP award recorded as passing 8–0.
Contracts for Austell's Rehabilitation (OT/PT/Speech) and the Lincoln Center (five school-based therapists) were included in the contract approvals; the board recorded a per-therapist district cost not to exceed $78,000 for the 2026–27 school year in the Lincoln Center agreement. The contracts are set to take effect July 1, 2026.
The board did not record the name of the original mover for the RFP award in the transcript; the motion was seconded and passed on a full-board vote.
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