The miscalculation from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment and subsequent overpayment to Kansas schools is going to have an impact on USD 290. Superintendent Dr. Ryan Cobbs says that the state says Ottawa schools were overpaid over $117,000. Now, they and many other school districts are forced to repay that money, a mistake they didn’t cause or realize until now. Cobbs says he wants to emphasize that the overpayment was not due to any mistakes on USD 290’s part or any other school district’s part. It was completely based n a miscalculation from KDHE.
Repaying that money is an issue. Cobbs says it is his understanding that they can’t repay the money in increments, it has to be a lump sum payment. USD 290 was flagged in three different years. The 2016/17, 17/18/, and 19/20 school years. He says they are waiting on guidance to know whether USD 290 will need to repay the amount in full or whether those funds will be withheld from future Medicaid reimbursements. He says it will affect the operating budget in some way but they will do their best to minimize the impact on students.
