FY 2004 TUITION FREEZE

Note to Members: Please see the following important information regarding FY04 Tuition Freeze from OSD. Tuition prices for 71B approved private special education programs for FY2004 have been frozen at the FY03 level.

The rolled back tuition prices supercede the prices authorized on February 5, 2003. Please visit the OSD website at http://www.mass.gov/spedpricing for current tuition prices and additional information.

Monica Synnott, Director of Pricing at OSD, can be reached at (617) 720-3371

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In accordance with FY 2004 state budget, the Operational Services Division (OSD) has authorized revised Fiscal Year 2004 prices for the purchase of M.G.L. c. 71b Approved Private School programs by Commonwealth agencies and Local Education Authorities. Please refer to mass.gov/spedpricing for the current authorized tuition prices. These prices supercede the prices authorized on Feb. 5, 2003. Private schools have received their revised tuition prices letters.

Outside Section 646 of the FY 2004 budget states:

Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, the division of purchased services of the department of procurement which, under section 274 of chapter 110 of the acts of 1993, is responsible for determining prices for programs under chapter 71B of the General Laws, shall set all such prices in fiscal year 2004 at the same level calculated for fiscal year 2003 except the prices for those programs for Extraordinary Relief, as defined in 808 CMR 1.06(4). Programs for which prices in fiscal year 2003 were lower than the full amount permitted by the division of purchased service shall be permitted to charge in fiscal year 2004 the full price calculated for fiscal year 2003.

The following points provide more information regarding the proposed implementation of the freeze by the Operational Services Division. Please consider the following to be guidelines and thus subject to individual consideration as circumstances warrant.

Exceptions to the Freeze:

Programs which had self-limited their tuition price in FY 2003. The ststute specifically allows for the FY 2004 price to be higher than the FY 2003 self-limited price if programs had self limited the tuition.

Programs whose tuition price had been reduced in FY 2003 order to recover non-reimbursable costs. The FY 2003 calculated price was restored for those programs.

Applications for Extraordinary Relief (FY 2004 tuition price will increase). The statute has specifically allowed for tuition price increases for Extraordinary Relief. Applications for Extraordinary Relief require documentation that the purchasers have been notified. Pending increases will also be highlighted on OSD's tuition price list.

Out of state programs in which the host state authorizes the tuition price. Although not specifically addressed in the statute, OSD will continue to accept the tuition price established by the host state. Out of state programs which do not have their prices set by the host state will be subject to the freeze.

Unapproved Programs:

Since unapproved programs fall into the general category of services covered under Chapter 71B, OSD will apply the freeze to these programs as well. Because of the highly customized nature of these programs (which may cross fiscal years), OSD will use the following as guidelines:

In state or out of state new student: Since this will be the first budget prepared for the student, the freeze will not apply.

In state returning student or out of state returning student where the host state does not set the tuition price: The freeze will apply for FY 2004. The tuition price will stay at the FY 2003 level. However, a customized budget is still required since the cost of the services to the student may have decreased. In cases where the dates of service overlap fiscal years, OSD will freeze the price for the most logical IEP period.

Out of state returning student where the host state sets the tuition price: Similar to the 71B approved private programs, OSD will accept the tuition price authorized by the host state. The freeze will not apply.

Individual Price Requests:

The $15.00 maximum per hour price for a one to one aide will remain in place.

If the school had justified a higher price for FY 2003, the price will be frozen at the FY 2003 level, if still needed. In cases where the dates of service overlap fiscal years, OSD will freeze the price for the most logical IEP period.