School leaders outline self-insurance accounting, special-education shortfall and apprenticeship plans

District and town officials spent a large portion of the meeting on school financials and program planning. Staff compared two accounting views of the district self-insurance fund: the finance office’s monthly report (which includes an IBNR, or incurred-but-not-reported liability shown as accounts payable) and the school-side weekly invoice-tracking approach that focuses on the Webster Bank balance and monthly claim invoices. Staff said the IBNR represents accounts payable and noted the district is watching the account closely to ensure there is sufficient cash to pay invoices.

Special-education funding was a focus. Staff explained the state’s excess-cost reimbursement process and timing (a 75% payment early in the year and about 25% later, with the state holding back some funds because districts must resubmit numbers through the year). The superintendent said Stafford is technically eligible for 91% reimbursement but “we’re only getting 68% reimbursement because there’s more districts accessing the pot of money that the state allocates,” producing a shortfall compared with historic expectations.

To expand local services and reduce out-of-district tuition costs (the board noted out-of-district tuition was averaging about $246,000), staff said they will apply for a newly announced competitive special-education expansion grant (deadline July 15) to support high-school-level staffing and capital improvements. Staff also described plans to expand career and technical education (CTE) pathways and apprenticeships using existing instructional staff and digital platforms: the district will use dual-enrollment options and an online vendor (Vector Systems) to provide certifications, such as OSHA for construction pathways, with little or no immediate added staff cost.

On school food service, officials said the program has improved since last year but warned parents that pandemic-era universal free-meal funding is no longer in force. The district has hired a staff member to call families with meal debt to offer help applying for free or reduced lunches or to set up payment plans; officials emphasized several pathways exist but families must apply to receive reduced-cost or free meals.

Officials said if the budget referendum fails, the Board of Education will face hiring constraints in the next year because they will have to operate under last year’s appropriation levels. The superintendent left midmeeting for another obligation after answering questions; board members continued with town budget items.