Berrien Regional Educational Services Agency receives over $3 million from Medicaid each year, according to superintendent Eric Hoppstock. That money helps to pay for counseling and physical therapy for students in local districts.
Hoppstock says the Republican spending bill that passed the US House would slash that funding by 40 percent, which could leave many students without the services they need to succeed.
“As you begin to trim that down, you're basically taking from those that are least likely to have any other option available to them," he said.
The Berrien RESA Board of Education passed a resolution Monday opposing the cuts proposed in the bill. The Coloma Community School District's Board took a similar step the week prior.
A wide impact
Hoppstock said these cuts wouldn't only harm disabled students.
“People say, 'Well, my kids don't have those disabilities.' Well, they're in classrooms with peers that do have those disabilities and if the staff support is not there, then staff have to devote their attention to dealing with those difficulties and your child then begins to lose the educational benefit that they are deserved as well."
"We sure would like not being hamstrung"
The Berrien RESA isn't alone. The Barry Intermediate School District also has concerns.
Superintendent Richard Franklin said the proposed cuts could put the ISD's mission of helping students with physical or intellectual disabilities at risk.
“If a child needs supports and services in order to be able to access the general education curriculum and those services are reduced or someday not available, they're not going to access that curriculum as well.”
Berrien RESA Superintendent Hoppstock said Berrien RESA is mandated to provide specialist services, but Medicaid cuts leave him wondering how they'll pay for it all.
"We are educating kids today. We are going to educate kids tomorrow. We sure would like not being hamstrung as we do that, and this Big Beautiful Bill doesn't help us achieve what we need."
Michael Symonds reports for WMUK through the Report for America national service program.
