Great Falls Public Schools staff updated the school board on compensation for school psychologists for the next two school years during their April 10 meeting.

These employees are non-union and this group includes 12 employees, according to the staff report.

Compensation for non-union employees is established by the board, under board policy, and state law requires that the board approved the district budget including employee compensation.

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District officials met with representatives of the school psychologists employee group to agree to the new terms.

The school psychologist positions are required under special education law and are needed to identity and assess children with disabilities, according to GFPS staff.

GFPS officials and the school psychologists group have an estimated based salary budget of $870,519 for the 2023-2024 school year and $905,340 with a 4-percent increase on the base for the 2024-2025 school year, according to the staff report.

Under federal law, public schools are eligible to bill for medically necessary services and receive Medicaid reimbursement, which the district will do, and GFPS’ current service model uses school psychologists to provide direct services to eligible students.

The school board will address the cost increase during the budget process in August.