Q&A
Delayed payments to special education service providers
1:43:50
ยท
3 min
Council Member Shahana Hanif raises concerns about delayed payments to special education teacher support services providers, particularly regarding the DOE's announcement about not allowing back billing for the first four months of the school year. She asks if the DOE would commit to reimbursing schools for services rendered between September and December.
- The DOE representative, Liz Vladeck, acknowledges the complexity of the issue but ultimately confirms that reimbursement for September through December cannot be expected.
- The discussion highlights the financial strain on schools due to these payment delays and policy changes.
Shahana Hanif
1:43:50
Thank you, chair Joseph.
1:43:51
Good afternoon.
1:43:52
Thanks for being here.
1:43:53
My office has heard from countless special education teacher support services providers about the delayed payments, which I know has come up several times already.
1:44:03
But specifically, the DOE's announcement in mid December that they would only pay for services moving forward and not allow back billing for the 1st 4 months of the school year even if services were provided as well as the universal denial of the enhanced rate to special education teacher support services providers has basically left our schools, short 1,000 of dollars per child for legally mandated services.
1:44:33
I'm concerned about these, about the impact of the policies, on the schools in my district and, of course, citywide.
1:44:42
And my first question is if you would be able to commit to reimbursing schools for the services rendered between September through December and to provide makeup opportunities for students who missed out on mandated services?
Liz Vladeck
1:44:56
Thank you for the question, council member.
1:44:58
And I'm I'm really it's a great question, and it gives me the chance to clear a few things up.
1:45:04
I'm about to give what will sound like a complicated answer.
1:45:08
I am not trying to filibuster you.
1:45:11
What I'm trying to say to this
Rita Joseph
1:45:12
Our rule in education is kiss it.
1:45:14
Keep it simple.
Rima Izquierdo
1:45:14
Keep it simple.
Liz Vladeck
1:45:15
Yes.
1:45:15
And what I'm trying to tell you is that we have a crisis that is not simple, and we need this council to engage and support us in addressing the crisis.
Shahana Hanif
1:45:26
I understand that.
1:45:27
But this is for
Rita Joseph
1:45:28
engaged council you will ever find.
Liz Vladeck
1:45:31
On on special education for special
Rita Joseph
1:45:33
We've been at the forefront since 2022, since I got here, whether it's transportation, IEPs.
1:45:39
We have been partners lockstep with you, so I don't think that comment was necessary.
1:45:46
We have been engaging with you.
1:45:47
Yes.
1:45:47
We have a crisis.
1:45:48
We know that.
1:45:49
That's why we're here, and that's why we're having this hearing.
1:45:53
Right.
1:45:53
It's it's not to get you moment.
1:45:54
It's to put everything out up front and make sure we can find solutions working with this council.
Liz Vladeck
1:46:02
I appreciate that, chairwoman.
1:46:04
I'm sorry if I offended.
1:46:06
I recognize we all know what a committed council this is when it comes to special education.
1:46:12
What I'm specifically referring to is our IESP problem, which is incredibly complicated for a long list of reasons.
1:46:19
There's no way to make it simple, and we I spend most of my day every day studying our data, reading our cases, working with our staff, looking at, deployments, looking at case law.
1:46:33
I'm saying this is actually a really serious policy crisis.
Althea Stevens
1:46:37
For the purposes of my questions right now, and
Shahana Hanif
1:46:37
and I I longer response.
1:46:45
But for the purposes of just my question Yes.
1:46:48
The reimbursement cannot be accept expected from the September through December.
Liz Vladeck
1:46:53
No.
1:46:53
Part of what we were cautioned by this
Shahana Hanif
1:46:55
Right now, I'll just take the no for
Liz Vladeck
1:46:57
now.
1:46:57
Okay.