Stop-loss insurance is insurance on your medical insurance. So essentially when you have a really high claim come in, the stop-loss kicks in and actually reimburses you money for that claim. So since we're self-funded, we're paying every medical bill, but when that high claim comes in, this insurance kicks in and then it pays them for us or reimburses them for us. So last year, we paid about $427,000 for stop-loss insurance and we got back $725,000. So if you think about it like your your house, if you file claims on your house and you get a new roof and you get new windows and you get new um everything, right? Your claim your renewal the next year goes up. So that was the largest driver in this. So because we had those high utilizers in those claims, that's what caused our um rates go up. And this is becoming a trend in medical.
We did both. Um so, an ensemble had a solo and a ensemble reach the state level. Uh also getting your concert bands to perform at a group uh the rating group one rating to get gold rating both of our intermediate and advanced band. We got gold rating in there including sight reading. And yeah, it's been a really great year for band. Lots of good stuff coming. So, I just want to say it's great to be here one more year at DeKalb and can't wait to make can't wait to get many more. Thank you very much. Thanks for sharing. >> Congratulations. He always likes to have her. You want to speak? All right. Well, at this time I will close our meeting by saying that our next regular board meeting is June 16th and that will be back at central office. Um and at this time I'll ask for adjournment.
>> Safety. >> It's a safe school. >> That's right. >> And I commend in this department as a big part of that. But it's all of us. It's the teachers. It's everything else. >> It never had an unsafe reputation. That's why everybody's clamoring to get in here. It it it just never did. As as bad as this place could have been decades ago, it still was the safest option. And you know, so I and I don't think it's I I honestly I'm not talking about it being unsafe. >> Yeah. No, no. I'm just summarizing what we're >> I mean it it's it's very safe as far as I'm concerned >> and but I am concerned about how you can get 250 staff members on the same page. They need to be on the same page because you guys it's not one office that creates it is a village.
And I was around when we put the laptops and put the Chromebooks and iPads in Cherry Brook. And I was against it then and been against it now. Um, but I think that was state state mandated in some regard. So, I just think there's got to be something else technology that could go. Um but I heard you on your recount of central office and you were very transparent. I know the public may not understand but through finance committee which I used to be on and through other board things you were very transparent on every time the town shifted that back to us and I know why you did it. It was also for efficiency because it was not as efficient having people on other floors, time wasted, loss of you know mistakes. So so although the public may not understand those of us who are on the committees at the time, it's not the word ignoring those positions but you were thoughtful in explaining the changes as we go along.
We talk about this a lot in the insurance committee where the cost of medical is just going up. It's outpacing a lot of different industries and this is just a result of that combined with the high utilization. So yeah, 41% is a huge increase. Um but it's there to safeguard us in case we have high claims. So if we don't have high claims this year, does it ever go [clears throat] down? It can. Yeah. It's one of those where they look at your insurability and then depending on your utilization, it can go down. So I think there was maybe it was a year or two ago we actually got a very small or actually a decrease. And I remember Rob asked about it. Like, how did this happen? And I stood up here and said, "We had a really good year." And now I'm here to say we had a really bad year.
It is everybody. And if we have half their their their academic or or or career area people looking the other way, that is that is not the right message to be sending. You're working and working up a sweat while everybody else is looking the other way. You can't sustain that for a long period of time cuz stuff is just going to break down. And and you guys know this. I I just I'm looking for consistency. I'm looking for confidence and that and and and and empowerment of both the student and take responsibility. I'm looking for all of that and that comes from following what you wrote in the handbook. You don't have to like massage it so that the kid feels good all the time. It's okay for the kid not to feel that good. >> It really is. They don't all the time. >> All right.
I don't think the public understands sometimes what what goes on in all the sub committee work. Um I don't know. I'm at a loss for where else to cut cuz I hate to cut any more but I but I am concerned about the taxpayers. Um not being satisfied. Yeah. So as it stands right now I say the question but we're going to come back to technology but as it stands right now I would just support those cuts. Yes except the bus routes that students are on really late and on too early. Um but I know I know you care about kids so so I know you would adjust accordingly but right. I feel very transparent about that. Doesn't work. Last thing I need is a headache driving and transportation of kids not getting to the school. Well we'll figure that out. We won't take cuts on those months.
So. As an interesting aside this year, too, we're seeing a 40-plus percent increase on our workers' compensation insurance. Because we've had a couple of really bad years for workers' compensation. This is how insurance works. Tony and Josh, I'm just curious, this question just popped in my head. Are any of our insurance carriers using AI predictive models to also forecast some of those calculations? To your knowledge? They do a very thorough analysis, especially with stop-loss, because size involved, and they're insuring over a very large claim amount, and they could be on the hook for literally millions of dollars. And so, they're scrutinizing. They do not share how they scrutinize them, but they go through the detail very carefully there. Thank you. No, it's okay. We're good. But, did you want me to ask it just to keep it sanctity of the board questions? Any other questions on other line items?
Well, I want I want the teachers to feel that they have a voice and that they are supported. And those teachers that are weak, you you should have already identified them and worked with them. That's what I'm looking for because not everybody Look, I'm I am I'm the best one. The minute you say, "Yeah, yeah, you're right. You're right. Send them up. Send them up. Oh god, you have the whole class up there. I'm not talking about that. I'm talking about identify those weak people that that that don't have those skills in the classroom. And and I'm hoping that that's already been identified. We're in May now. And and and the other ones that are strong, that want to make that difference, that want to continue to be supported, that want to have kids, as you say, nurture them, you know, have them value their life beyond Greater Lawrence Tech.
But right now this is Robbins and this Bishop that it's working but as I said at the last finance committee until those buses are on the road actually driving with all the kids going each stop then I'll come back to you. >> And it's helpful to parents to fill out these forms accurately. That that Next to go Well, we'll be sending out letters next week. Next week to families asking them if they're going to opt in to transportation or opt out. Now, they can change that at any time, but I appreciate that community member mentioned that, so that's what we did. Good, Kim. Yes, thank you. Thank you for your comments. Mr. Shive. Yes, a couple of comments and questions, sir. I'm delighted you're reevaluating the use of Chromebooks. That should be all we can do right now. But it's important. Um But testing is a fact of life.
I had a question about 9.12. Um, if this is a different assessment than has been used in previous years um due to the change to Amplify. Yeah. So, this um we've used a product called AIMSweb for fluency and dyslexia screening for many, many years. It's never was kind of um usable. It was very hard to use. It was like a separate data system that we had to bring into some of our systems. It was a little disjointed, decision-making pretty complicated for interventionists and for special ed teachers. So, when this when we moved to Amplify, we started to look at Mclass DIBELS. DIBELS has been around forever, but this is a a system that aligns with that. So, we and Natalie Hustle worked with reading specialists and interventionists and others um the psych school psychologist to to query whether this was the correct move to move away from AIMSweb and towards this.
those are the teachers that you need in on your team. And I think that we're we're well, you know, unfortunately they're feeling like why bother? Let me just get through the day. I don't I don't want to hear that because look, you know, we all have gone through that. Let me just get through the day. But it seems to be an all all the time message that I'm hearing. That's when it comes out of my mouth. I mean, I I've I've really kept quiet for a long time, but when I'm hearing it all the time, that's when it it has to be verbalized. >> Yeah. No, no. And we appreciate the feedback and anything that ongoing throughout the year, if you pass it along through, we'll get it and always work to our best of our abilities. >> No, I I understand you do, honestly.
And by postponing buying a great number of Chromebooks, >> [clears throat] >> that just puts the problem down the line for you. It doesn't because that was one of the things that I have in the smarter balance row the show that the requirements for smarter balance testing it is specifically a device. So, Mr. Bishop, It's it's a 5-year operating lifespan for Chromebooks. And so, every 5 years, because of the way that the system works, you have to be able to get a new device out. We can we can push that off to be able to have time. Um this year they're not letting them. But that problem's not going to go away. The cycle of every 5 years needing to be able to have some replacement for that that was something that I had studied I think 5 or 6 years ago. Um as it stands right now, the requirements that were continued to be need for us.
We'll still keep AIMSweb for some math benchmark assessments, which we need to do, but this will replace a big chunk of what we've been using in the past. And for Kelta, to answer your earlier question about the budget, are these items there all in the budget? Thank you. I actually have one more question on 9.14, the K-8 meal price increase. Could you talk about what that increase is? Sure. So, um our K program is on the National School Lunch Program. So, we get federal dollars for all meals that are sold. And every year we have to use a tool called the it's the PEL. There's always an acronym, right? Um but basically what it is is it's to make sure that our paid students are paying enough to make sure that we're not just taking the federal government's money. So, there's this whole calculation that goes through and essentially the minimum that you have to always increase your meal price 10 cents.
Um >> Yeah. Yes, I am. >> I am. >> Well, [clears throat] great presentation. Um, I agree with Marie. Uh, we like to believe that, you know, everything you guys are doing, it's exactly presenting is exactly as it's happening. Um, I think, uh, there's a lot I want to say, but I'm not going to be saying everything I really want to say because I don't want to be we don't want to be here until 10:00 tonight. But you know, I do have things like I know that obviously uh parents are being notified. What are we doing to make sure the student that was caught smoking or that was caught um in inheriting some kind of u illegal substance are no longer doing it. And and yes, obviously we can only control our time, but in our time, what are we doing to make sure that student when it comes back already to school is not already high or you know or or doesn't have sustenance on on them?
We can use them less. They might last longer. Correct. And it's still Look, the thing about it is the state still requires the kids to test. I have a question. The state's not talking about doing away with that requirement. Not that I heard. Not that I heard, either. The other piece with this is if you recall last year we bought the Chromebooks with the commissioner's network grant money. And I just want to remind the uh the the board and the community this was not a forced takeover by the the state of Connecticut to do our middle school. Our middle school actually, correct me if I'm wrong, Mr. Bishop, last year was the highest performing middle school in in the Farmington Valley based on the performance index. Based on the performance index. Um and we've received close to a million dollars when this is all done from the state.
So, you go through this whole calculation and because our National School Lunch Program portion of food service is in the positive, which is great, we have to increase by 10%. So, that's where that I'm sorry, 10 cents. So, that's where that comes from. So, this is something that happens every year. I just pointed out cuz I was going through it and I saw increase and then only to see it be a dime with Oh. Um I thought that was a win actually cuz everything else is going up more dramatically than that. So. >> Yeah, no, we're very fortunate. Our current food service contract um is very favorable to us um and it allows us to keep the prices where they are at that moment increase. Thank you. Good questions. Any others?
what are we doing to follow up on these students to make sure that you know and then what you know what kind of conversation are we having with parents because you know parents they need to follow through with their kids as well because obviously you know we can only do what we can do during school but we want to make sure that that student understand that they're going to be monitored and that there could be further suspension or or some kind of um consequence on them using this substance whether it's during school or they're coming already high or they're smoking it when they get out or they're smoking it while they're here again. What are we doing? I love to hear what what are you guys doing to so they can know that my god I can get my locker checked out can get my bag looked at like I want to hear what kind of stuff we're doing so that that student understand that they're being monitored.
The the LCD installation in both of the schools, the teachers have become very passive with the use of those. Very good use of it from the small in any case, so I've got anyway. What happened What happens? So if they break, Mr. the master already has funds within his budget to replace, repair, breakable ones. What What we're not doing is replacing ones that currently um his replacement. So I'm going to replace them if they're not that old, right? So Mr. Bishop There's a replacement cycle based on data that we were seeing from the number of issues of reports for that. And so what we're planning to be able to do with this is as we measure these out to be able to provide support, we will continue to be able to fix those things while while we'll also study to see are there cheaper, more effective, more efficient options for us to be able to consider in the future.