WJCC Approves Stimulus Spending Plan

By Amber Lester Wednesday, September 08, 2010

The Williamsburg-James City County School Board at its Tuesday meeting unanimously approved the third draft of a plan to spend special education stimulus funds.

Debates over how to spend the money had slowed the plan’s approval twice over the summer. In both cases, members of the Special Education Advisory Committee encouraged the board members not to approve the plans presented by Executive Director of Student Services Stephen Chantry and Supervisor of Special Education Karen Davis.

 

The central disagreement between the administration and SEAC was whether the one-time stimulus monies should be spent on recurring costs, such as the addition of staff members for one school year. In an Aug. 18 meeting, parent Patrick Sensiba, not a member of SEAC, suggested some of the planned spending presented in the proposal was illegal.

 

Board member Jim Kelly, who was appointed as a board liaison to SEAC after the August meeting, dismissed that accusation on Tuesday. “To characterize it as illegal, I think, is wrong,” he said. “I think you have to be a clerk for a Supreme Court justice to understand [the stimulus spending rules].”

In addition, two of the division’s special education staff members condemned the board and SEAC for insinuating Chantry and Davis would not research the requirements before preparing a proposal. “They were treated as incompetent and accused of being ignorant of the law,” said Lynda Webb, an occupational therapist. “I hope WJCC school professionals will be respected and valued as such.”

About eight SEAC members and eight administration members met on Aug. 26 for nearly five hours to hash out an agreement. Ultimately, the group was not able to reach complete consensus, but SEAC told the board it agreed to move forward with the process.

The final plan allocates $1,482,250 to go toward professional development, programming, vocational evaluations, community-based instruction, assistive technology, assessments, office supplies and equipment, early intervention services, personnel, instructional and administrative support and summer services. The most changes made to the proposal affected personnel positions.

Acting Superintendent Scott Burckbuchler agreed to fund positions for a school psychologist, school social worker and school nurse from an alternative source, freeing up $155,000 of stimulus money, while ensuring the positions could be funded in the future. A previously part-time Assistive Technology Specialist position was upgraded to full-time, but will still be funded through the stimulus monies. A minivan will also be funded from another source.

The approved plan also increased funding for $7,000 in tuition reimbursement for general education teachers who want to take a Special Education course leading toward endorsement. Another $50,000 in funding was added to instruct staff in disability awareness and acceptance, bullying and dropout prevention.

To see the breakdown of funding in the plan, click here.