In its only official action during its special retreat meeting Monday, the Mid-Prairie board of education approved contracts for the home school assistance program. The move provides the district with more than $146,000 in state funds.

Contracts will be issued to Jan Childress and Rose Schrock as independent contractors providing services for 56 home schoolers in the district. The program permits the students to be counted in the district’s enrollment. As a result, the district receives approximately 60 percent of the regular $4,300 state aid allocated per student.

Under the terms of the contract, the district pays the outside contractor $950 per student, prorated throughout 12 months and adds $140 per student in the Home School Assistance Program Curriculum Account, Superintendent Gordon Cook told the board at its October 12 meeting.

At that time, the board tabled action on the contracts, largely because some members were concerned about not having control of the outside contractors.

If action had not been taken prior to November 1, the district would have had to remove the 56 home schoolers from the district count.

The retreat, held at The Parlor restaurant in Kalona, involved lengthy discussions of possible board goals, including the need to seek a Physical Plant and Equipment Levy (PPEL) vote before the end of the year.

PPEL funds have been earmarked to repair roofs and to provide regular bus replacements.