Prairie State Wire

Illinois State Board of Education, Illinois Purchased Care Review Board met Jan. 14.

Here are the minutes provided by the board:

Chairman Luke Corry called the meeting to order at 1:00 p.m. Roll call was taken, and a quorum was present.

PRESENT

Luke Corry, Chairman, Illinois State Board of Education, Finance Center

Marc Staley, Vice Chairman, Governor’s Office of Management and Budget

Justin Carlin, Department of Children and Family Services Office of Planning and Budget Chris Dirks, Department of Healthcare and Family Services Bureau of Health Finance

Kristin Patton, Chaddock School District, (non-voting member)

REMOTE

Camille Hicks, Department of Public Health Office of Policy, Planning, and Statistics

ABSENT

Rahnee Patrick, Secretary, Department of Human Services Division of Rehabilitation

Vacant, Department of Human Services Division of Developmental Disabilities

STAFF

Andrew Krupin, Seth Whitworth, Beatriz Martinez Escobedo, Christine McClintock, and Patricia Peyton, Illinois State Board of Education

MINUTES

Chairman Corry asked for a motion to approve the minutes and attachments from the December 3, 2024 meeting. Mr. Dirks made a motion to approve the minutes as presented. Mr. Carlin seconded the motion. The motion passed on a unanimous vote, and the minutes and attachments were approved.

PUBLIC COMMENT

Several participants spoke in regards to concerns with Public Act 103-0644.

Sally Sover of IAPSEC and Shermin Ali, attorney from Whitted Takiff, representing IAPSEC, shared statements and concerns with the cost calculation and rate setting formula possibly diminishing funding. Erik Billings of Connections, shared his concerns with the possible rapid depletion of funds, creation of the cost calculation, rate setting and that the board has not been given enough time to review drafting of the statute language with little time to do their due diligence.

Melissa Burns of Acacia shared her concerns of not being informed on the development and impact this could have on their students. That a decrease in the proration rate would significantly impact many, that reduced ability to access non-public placement would limit services available.

Greg Cox of CNG Consulting representing Hope School, shared comments that the programs are supposed to provide comparable services to private and special education schools and there is no definition of that rule, it links back to the statute. What are comparable services to special education? There needs to be a better definition of what services are.

Lonnie Randall of Little City shared his concerns for the youth being able to get the services they need based on appropriate funds. What is going to happen if funding becomes a major issue and students needs cannot be met? Pamela Yocius of Alexander Lee Center for Autism spoke on concerns with the difference in the cost calculation formula for separate public special education schools versus the non-public programs. Current guidelines have caused undue hardships and financial burdens, to remove from one entity and not the other results in an unfair per diem rate.

Michael Fischer of Fischer Consulting shared a question via the online platform, has anyone ran a private rate through the new public model and saw the material difference?

CLOSED SESSION

None.

SCHOOLS

Ms. Martinez Escobedo and Ms. McClintock presented rates for the 2024-25 school year. Please refer to the Minutes Attachments for all rates presented, their amounts, and the actions taken. Mr. Carlin motioned to table Little City until more information has been submitted to the board. Mr. Dirks seconded the motion and the motion passed.

There were several requests for extensions of the filing deadline for fiscal year 2024. After discussion, the requests were considered. Mr. Staley moved to approve the fiscal year 2024 extension requests; Mr. Dirks seconded the motion with the exception that PACTT to be tabled until they provide a submission by date. The motion passed, and the fiscal year 2024 extension requests for Adolescent Adjustment Center, KESHET, Family Guidance Centers, Inc., Kemmerer Village, Maryville Academy, The Thresholds, The Baby Fold, and The Hope School were approved.

OLD BUSINESS

None.

NEW BUSINESS

Mr. Krupin fielded inquiries from the board regarding the draft template of Public Act 103-0644.

ADJOURNMENT

Chairman Corry asked if there was any additional business for the board’s consideration. Hearing none, he asked for a motion to adjourn. Mr. Carlin made a motion to adjourn the meeting; Mr. Dirks seconded the motion. The motion passed in a unanimous vote. The meeting adjourned at 2:16 p.m.

The next regularly scheduled monthly meeting of the Illinois Purchased Care Review Board will be at 1 p.m. on Tuesday, February 4, 2025, in the Boardroom on the fourth floor of the Illinois State Board of Education.

https://www.isbe.net/Documents_IPCRB/011425-Minutes.pdf