Marblehead appeals cuts in SPED funding

MARBLEHEAD – Director of Student Services Robert Bellucci is appealing a potential loss of 17 percent – $88,000 – in key special education state aid.Bellucci is currently preparing his written appeal with additional education plan information that he hopes will justify the reinstatement of $88,000 in state Circuit Breaker aid.The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education cut that amount from Marblehead’s anticipated $528,000 in Circuit Breaker aid after reviewing the town’s special education costs a month ago.Circuit Breaker aid uses a formula to reimburse a town for students who require "a particularly high degree of special education service," as Bellucci stated in a report to the School Committee. For example, on a $100,000 student placement, Marblehead would pay $56,000 and Circuit Breaker aid would pay about $44,000."In the past, the program almost encouraged communities to enroll children in more expensive programs," Bellucci said. Those days appear to be over and this year’s reviews have been tough on local communities, at a time when Bellucci said local special education referrals are increasing.However, the town’s belief that all students should be educated in their home community, if possible, has put Marblehead in a strong position. While 16.4 percent of Marblehead’s school children are in the special needs program, only 6.6 percent of those students are in outside placements.Since 1996 the number of special needs students educated outside town has decreased from 45 students to 19, despite increases in school enrollment.Marblehead also accepts students from other communities on tuition and expects to receive $710,208 in tuition revenue by the end of the school year. Combined with $709,614 in state and federal special education grants and $528,000 in Circuit Breaker aid that amounts to $1.9 million in revenue.