School districts around Berrien County are receiving a special education reimbursement of more than $4.1 million from Berrien RESA this year. RESA Superintendent Dr. Kevin Ivers tells WSJM News his district collects special ed millage money, and then disburses the excess each year to the locals.
“They pay for the own special ed costs, but we’re fortunate that through good fiscal management here as well as at the local level, they’re able to receive some reimbursement,” Ivers said. “Typically, special education reimbursement runs about 25% of their actual cost, so we’re very pleased to be able to return something back to them.”
Ivers tells us the Berrien County’s local districts get a reimbursement most years, but this is a strong one. In fact, the reimbursement would have been higher, but the county’s districts agreed to let RESA keep some of the funds to do improvements at the Blossomland Learning Center.
