[The following is a copy of an email sent today by Rabbi Meir Hertz to all members of the Igud. TLS obtained a copy of the email, and is posting it with the permission of the author, as both a public service and an item of interest to all Lakewood parents, educators and taxpayers.] For many years, Lakewood’s sole-source special education services’ provider, Catapult Learning, assured everyone that its prices were competitive.
Despite clear indications that Catapult’s prices were overinflated, everyone from BOE members to all local nonpublic school educators were assured that it just isn’t so.
“It makes no difference that no competition exists”, Catapult said time and again — “our pricing would not change — it’s already at rock bottom.”
Those, like this writer, who said such a contention defies logic—and that competition is essential to ensure quality services and fair pricing—were dismissed as trying to muscle in on the business, or worse, having a personal agenda.
Year after year, certain School District employees made sure all other bidders were kept at bay, awarding contracts only to Catapult for virtually all nonpublic (and some public, e.g. SES) special education services.
Last April, the Igud endorsed, and got a new team of candidates elected to the LBOE. After years of a total monopoly by Catapult, competition was finally opened-up.
Which brings us to the LBOE meeting held on Wedensday, June 30th. Seems there finally was some real competition allowed for the federal IDEA-funded STARS and self-contained classes programs. Catapult bid a total of $5.8 Million for both. Educational Excellence, an affiliate of Lakewood’s Tiny Tots, bid $4.4 Million. Catapult countered with a $4.1 Million bid, a Thirty (30%) Percent drop from its original bid. The Board awarded to Catapult at $4.1.
Why am I recounting this recent history? Very simple.
Over the past week I’ve gotten numerous calls from Igud members who complained of being pressured to sign-up with a vendor for Title 1, Ch 192/193, etc. Even before we know which vendors are approved for which services, (contracts for Ch 192 & 193 have NOT yet been awarded). And even BEFORE we know what the comparable rates charged by the various vendors are. So unless you want to risk blowing 30% of your allocation on overpriced (and probably inferior quality) services, I respectfully recommend that you hold-off on contract award for your school, until all the relevant information is made available. We’ve already had a decade of false and misleading assurances. Now it’s time for the facts to speak for themselves, and for more informed decisions.
Sincerely,
Rabbi Meir Hertz, Chairman
Igud Committee on Grants & BOE Affairs
this is federal money , and must be spent for these services.
now that the bid is lower what happenes with the other $ 1.7 miilion?
I guess you don’t read. Catapult did not get it at 5.8 million that was to high. Tiny tots offered 4.3 million that was accepted. The differents was only 200K
Are any of the involved people professional educators? Who are the ones truly making crucial decisions regarding the education and future of the students?
to me:
the $1.7 million over last year . i assume they did not up their price from last year on their first bid. so its at least $1.7 m
what’s going to be with all the frum children in tiny tots who have such great teachers? will their parents again have to be and plead to get the accepted somewhere?
I think we owe a big yaschkoach to tiny tots for saving at least 1.7 mill of taxpayers $. Everyone always said that catapult lost money on stars and the Trailors . They must have not lost too much if they were willing to drop the bid from 5.8 to 4.1 . The real question is once the board approved a vendor why did they back track?
Rabbi hertz you fail to mention that stars was awarded to edu excellence originallybut they. couldn’t provide the same services for that amount of $ therefore it went back to catapult except the parents lost 1.7 mil of services the same is being tried by rabbi hertz with his good intentions of “competition for 192,193 . Rabbi hertz please stay away from my childrens services
Thank you Rabbi Hertz for finally getting the guts to stand up to those from Catapult.
You’ve told us for years that one day we would see this day. Finally the day has arrived.
To all the schools and Yeshivos in town:
Be advised that (Moderated)
Wake up Lakewood.
The teachers and supervisors are petrified of him. He will fire anyone that doesn’t overbill……………………
Thank you Rabbi Hertz!
Catapult Teacher
I believe u mean to say that yes catapult can provide the services that were offered by tiny tots(which r not the same services that have been offered till now at a cheaper price)thank you tiny tots we saved 1.7 mil but we r getting 1.7 mil less of services
What happens to the $1.7 million saved?
It can pay for Occupational Therapy and Physical Therapy for over 300 children, an $1.6 million expense currently paid from local taxes. This is an IDEA eligible cost. So the net winners are Lakewood taxpayers. Or perhaps the 175 children in need of OT/PT who were dropped can be reinstated, and BOTH the children and the taxpayers can be winners. It’s up to the Board. So if your child was dropped from OT/PT, now is the time to call all Board members and ask to re-instate the OT/PT services at the schools, and use the extra $1.7 for that purpose.
Why did the new board reneg on awarding TT for the stars program?Was it the pressure?
Both catapult and tiny tots bid on the same specs in the rfp, so it’s a lie to say that tiny tots was offering less services. Wake up and smell the coffee. Catulpult was caught and it wasn’t a pretty sight. The board should have held strong and awarded stars to tiny tots just to teach those that were working overtime to keep catapult s monopoly going strong.
Probably the pressure from the parents of these precious children who were in a cadillac program but were at risk of being taken over by a title company. If I was a plumber, would you want me to call up the BOE and say, hey, I’ll take over STARS for 2 million dollars less than Catapult. I guess if you don’t have a child in the program, you could care less.
You are missing the point. Catapult is overcharging across the board, on all programs. Yes, wake up and smell the coffee. Even plumbers can understand that. Else they could not stay in business.
It was definitely the pressure instigated at the behest of those who enable and partner in Catapult’s ill-gotten gains. How could the Board fall for it?
Why aren’t you posting my comment?