Tuition Rate Reform

The New York State Education Department is conducting a comprehensive study of alternative tuition rate-setting methodologies for approved providers operating school-age and preschool special education programs in New York State.  Tuition rate-setting methodology is used to reimburse school-age day and residential special class programs (operated by approved private schools and special act school districts), extended school year special class programs, and preschool special class and special class in an integrated setting programs.   The study will consider alternative approaches to reimbursement to ensure students with disabilities receive education and related services in accordance with their individualized education programs.

Initial Input Stakeholder Meetings - Fall 2023

Initial regional meetings have been conducted to receive initial feedback from stakeholders on how to best support programs serving students with disabilities in a manner that is fiscally sustainable, not reliant on tuition appeals, based on standardized parameters and criteria, phased-in overtime, and ensures that tuition rates for all programs are calculated no later than the beginning of each school year.  Regional meetings have been conducted in the counties of Broome, Suffolk, Onondaga, Essex, Rensselaer, Monroe, Erie, Orange, as well as New York City.  The purpose of these meetings was to collect initial feedback from students, parents, families, educators, school district representatives, county representatives, approved program providers and other interested stakeholders to reflect existing needs and to inform the comprehensive study.  A summary report of these stakeholder meetings is forthcoming.