By CRISTINA JANNEY
Hays Post
The Hays USD 489 school board will consider allowing the Russell school district to join the West Central Kansas Special Education Cooperative at its meeting at 6:30 tonight at the Rockwell Administration Center.
The cooperative currently includes Hays, Ellis, Victoria and LaCrosse.
All four of the existing co-op members plus the Russell school district have to approve the agreement.
Russell already has a contract with the co-op for gifted services.
The agreement would bring Russell into the West Central Kansas co-op slowly over a period of years.
Russell also would have to pay a buy-in fee and begin paying a portion of the special education budget. That could lower the percentages paid by the existing districts.
The school board also will consider the approval of security camera bids for Wilson, O'Loughlin, Lincoln and Westside schools.
The board will consider a policy governing therapy dogs in schools.
The board will consider the approval of the Kansas Association of School Boards annual membership and Legal Assistance Fund.