Requests from two charter school entities that have Warren County students who want to participate in Warren County School District programs spurred a discussion about tuition costs during the school board's Curriculum, Instruction and Technology Committee this week.
The district has received a request from Tidioute Community Charter School for a student who wants to attend the Learning Enrichment Center as well as a request from the Pennsylvania Leadership Cyber Charter School for a student who wants to attend the Warren County Career Center.
The TCCS student would attend the LEC one day a week.
"We've had this in the past," Director of Special Education Diane Martin told the committee.
"They would need to pay us tuition," Superintendent Brandon Hufnagel said.
"Generally, he added, "the agreement, the reduction in payment is 20 percent. (That) brings the payment to TCCS per student attending the LEC one day a week" to a reduction of $1,840.67. "So that's what we had for this past school year. I don't think we have the updated information, but it would be very similar."
The Warren County School District pays both brick and mortar and cyber charter schools approximately $9,000 for each regular education student and approximately $20,000 for each student with special needs.
"There is precedence. We have done this with other students," committee member Dr. Paul Yourchisin said.
"I believe we've done this with two other students," Martin said.
Committee member Mary Anne Paris asked whose responsibility transportation would be.
"The parent provides transportation in all situations," Martin said. "We're not required to do this."
For the cyber charter student and the Career Center, Amanda Hetrick, the district's director of curriculum, instruction and learning, said the cyber charter has been sent an amount it would be expected to reimburse the district for a special needs student to attend the Career Center half a day.
She added that the cost to the cyber charter would be approximately $9,200 or "50 percent of the special education rate."
Board member Tom Knapp asked how much the district pays cyber charter schools and Hufnagel said that payment is the same as all other charter schools.
Paris also asked about transportation for that student. Hetrick said that the parents could provide transportation or a contract could be developed with the district to provide transportation.
Former board member Kim Angove said, "It is financially to the benefit of the district for a cyber student to attend" the Career Center. "Absolutely," Hufnagel noted.
"It's a good financial move for us," Yourchisin said.
Both requests will likely go before the full board for approval at October's meeting.