State Aid Planning | Questar III BOCES

Medicaid Update

David Simmons — Wed, 28 Oct 2026 14:42:34 +0000

SED posted a memo to inform SSHSP providers of the updated Medicaid requirements for reimbursement of special transportation under the Preschool/School Supportive Health Services Program. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) have recently clarified for New York that Medicaid reimbursable special transportation is limited to only trips on specially adapted vehicles that have been physically modified or designed to accommodate the student’s individual needs. There are no longer any exceptions or special circumstances that allow trips on vehicles that have not been specially adapted/modified or designed to accommodate students’ needs to be reimbursed by Medicaid. Please be sure to read the alert thoroughly as claims that have already been made on or after July 1, 2026 that do not comply will need to be voided.

Please see Medicaid Alert 26-15 for additional information.

If you have any questions please email: SSHSP@health.ny.gov

SLFS/ESSA Reporting for the 2025-26 School Year

David Simmons — Mon, 19 Oct 2026 19:08:57 +0000

If you missed our October Knowledge Café, you may listen to our recorded session by clicking the link below. In this webinar, we discussed the SLFS Reporting for 2025-26, reviewed the report, and the template that will assist you in completing the required report. The report is due by December 31st.

The template is password protected, but it is the same password used in previous templates. If you need a copy of the password, please email stateaidplanning@questar.org and we will email it to you.

Recording

PowerPoint

Knowledge Café – November 10 (Tuesday) at 9 am

David Simmons — Mon, 19 Oct 2026 19:04:56 +0000

As a reminder, the Knowledge Café will be held on Tuesday this November 10th due to the observance of the Veterans Day holiday on Wednesday that week.

Topics: Review of the SBO Calendar for December 2026, Overview of Survey 2/3 Due 1/15/27, EXCEL Grants – Steps for Claiming Remaining Balances, and Ten Areas to Check in December for Good Fiscal Health

CTLE/CPE Registration

CPE Attendance Form

PowerPoint

Coffee Talk – November 4 at 9 am

David Simmons — Mon, 19 Oct 2026 18:58:24 +0000

Topics: Review of Foundation Aid and Key Data Points to Monitor

CTLE/CPE Registration

CPE Attendance Form

Reminder: Workshop Webinar Today at 9 am

Jason Peffers — Thu, 08 Oct 2026 16:44:44 +0000

Thank you to those who have attended our in-person workshops across the state. If you missed the opportunity to attend, we will host our live webinar on October 8th from 9 am – 11 am.

To join the webinar, please go to our workshop page for the zoom link.

In our daily conversations and communications with districts around the state, one of the frequent concerns is the tightening of district finances. Due to these concerns, the State Aid Planning Fall Workshop will focus on what you can do to help yourself as far as district reporting and communicating with the board, managing finances throughout the year, and ideas to help plan for district finances in the future.

If you require CTLE or CPE credit, you will need to also register in Frontline. Use this page to select the location that you will be attending. The following attendance form will need to be completed to receive CPE credit and emailed to our Operations Associate: gavin.barker@questar.org.

PowerPoint
Supplemental Workshop Handout
CPE Attendance Form

SAMS Claim Forms – Time Sensitive Deadline – October 13

Jason Peffers — Thu, 08 Oct 2026 16:43:44 +0000

SED sent out a memo this past week to remind districts that state aid claim forms were due by statute on September 2, 2026. There are still several districts that have not submitted their claim forms and it is critical that completed claim and projection data are received promptly to ensure that your district’s data is included in the data file used to project 2027-28 aid under the 2027-28 Executive Budget proposal.

SED stressed that they review submissions on a first-come, first-served basis and cannot guarantee that claim forms first submitted after Tuesday, October 13, 2026, can be reviewed and achieve a “clean” status before the November 15th statutory reporting deadline.

As a reminder, your district’s independent audit does not need to be complete to submit your State Aid Claim forms, including the ST-3 Annual Financial Report. New York State Education Law requires the withholding of State Aid payments to districts until required claim forms are submitted.

Knowledge Café – October 14 at 9 am

Jason Peffers — Thu, 08 Oct 2026 16:42:51 +0000

Topics: SBO Calendar for November and ESSA/SLFS Reporting for 25-26 School Year

Use the Knowledge Café link at the middle of our website. 

Powerpoint

CPE Attendance Form

We hope you will join us tomorrow!

Independent Audit Report Due – October 15

Jason Peffers — Thu, 08 Oct 2026 16:42:04 +0000

Districts need to file their Independent Auditors Report with NYSED and NYS OSC (for SED Survey 1 in the NYSED Portal under Office Audit Services) by October 15, 2026. For more information, please reference Appendix L in our SBO Monthly Calendar guidebook.  Please note that the BOE acceptance of the audit is not due until Survey 2/3.

2027-28 Executive Budget Aid Projections for Excess Cost Aid – Time Sensitive Deadline – October 16

Jason Peffers — Thu, 08 Oct 2026 16:41:18 +0000

To ensure that excess cost aid projection information is included in the 2027-28 state fiscal year Executive Budget, it is necessary for school districts to have their 2025-26 school age 10-month high-cost public and private STAC approval records entered in the STAC Online System by October 16, 2026.

Comparison of 2425, 2526 & 2627 School Age 10-month High Cost Public STAC Approvals by School District

Comparison of 2425, 2526 & 2627 School Age 10-month Private Excess Cost STAC Approvals by School District

Committee on Preschool Special Education (CPSE) 2024-25 Administrative Cost Claiming Now Available

Jason Peffers — Thu, 08 Oct 2026 16:40:31 +0000

School districts must continue to voucher their respective counties to receive reimbursement for CPSE administrative costs. Please contact your county directly to determine how you should be submitting for reimbursement. SED has posted their User Guide on their website and for additional information, please view their memo.