Board debates $63,000 special‑services audit; Chester County IU recommended after 13 RFP responses
June 12, 2026 | Council Rock SD, School Districts, Pennsylvania
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Council Rock School District administrators recommended awarding a special services audit to the Chester County Intermediate Unit (IU) at a fixed cost of $63,000 after an RFP that drew 13 proposals and interviews with three finalists.
The Business Administrator explained the RFP scope: a focus on least restrictive environment (LRE) and inclusion/co‑teaching practices, a review of staffing and organizational structure, and a review of processes and procedures, including file reviews and parental engagement. “Chester County has far more experience with Pennsylvania school districts,” the administration said, and the recommended team included specialists (former special‑education directors, speech experts and budget specialists) who would spend significant time on‑site.
Board members raised several concerns about timing and potential duplication. The business administrator and some members suggested waiting a year to allow the newly onboarded special‑services leader more time to implement changes; others said the audit could identify settlement drivers and offer targeted recommendations that could reduce future legal settlements and improve outcomes for students. “I would rather spend money before we need to get to the settlement than spend money after on the settlements,” a board member said.
Dr. Oberman (presented to answer technical questions) described how the audit could go deeper than cyclical state monitoring by doing classroom‑level file reviews and examining previous agreements to identify common themes. Staff said Chester County IU guaranteed the scope would be completed within the fixed fee and that the vendor was willing to tailor scope if the board wanted a narrower focus.
The board did not approve the contract at the session; members asked administration to provide sample reports from Chester County IU, references and options to narrow scope to avoid duplicating work the district has already done. The item was removed from the consent agenda for further discussion at the full board meeting.
The Business Administrator explained the RFP scope: a focus on least restrictive environment (LRE) and inclusion/co‑teaching practices, a review of staffing and organizational structure, and a review of processes and procedures, including file reviews and parental engagement. “Chester County has far more experience with Pennsylvania school districts,” the administration said, and the recommended team included specialists (former special‑education directors, speech experts and budget specialists) who would spend significant time on‑site.
Board members raised several concerns about timing and potential duplication. The business administrator and some members suggested waiting a year to allow the newly onboarded special‑services leader more time to implement changes; others said the audit could identify settlement drivers and offer targeted recommendations that could reduce future legal settlements and improve outcomes for students. “I would rather spend money before we need to get to the settlement than spend money after on the settlements,” a board member said.
Dr. Oberman (presented to answer technical questions) described how the audit could go deeper than cyclical state monitoring by doing classroom‑level file reviews and examining previous agreements to identify common themes. Staff said Chester County IU guaranteed the scope would be completed within the fixed fee and that the vendor was willing to tailor scope if the board wanted a narrower focus.
The board did not approve the contract at the session; members asked administration to provide sample reports from Chester County IU, references and options to narrow scope to avoid duplicating work the district has already done. The item was removed from the consent agenda for further discussion at the full board meeting.
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