[{"_1":2,"_123":-5,"_124":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99,111],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},"mediaId",6115775,"mediaKeyId","2736333-70c33801c5f45784182e0482be3ce7cc","parentId",2736333,"title","Board raises questions about Free Market Health prescription program; staff will gather vendor and demographic data","audioSeconds",333,"startMs",3956000,"endMs",4289000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2736333-70c33801c5f45784182e0482be3ce7cc&start=3956&end=4289","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2736333-70c33801c5f45784182e0482be3ce7cc/thumbnail_3956000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6115775/New-York/Board-raises-questions-about-Free-Market-Health-prescription-program-staff-will-gather-vendor-and-demographic-data","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6115775-0e5868da23cdc9c8a341c9079fd0db2a/orig.mp4?Expires=1771143129&Signature=Axt5uxG~-xSg589aikD-SR2pFzvOCQJN91KC26uXtu-d~3QsMA5xy8zT~8XsHXPsP2HNFOyL5rVxutSI7GP~VOffzyt-JEK5vme5KAGsvRRuSoIajL1SKXYu7QkPNlYajFFSdJ7u-1tdz0PJRZ4Epej~fHPD7jpjndVymxvRJofbIhdBjyqtkXynhtZ0QIudwuEMPkYKEpeiDHhESs~B9VJSQiC8FSfb6AbNQ3h~rQjkSan27Z7FwuliFY8H4u7Mu7AgNQZRdOm0lTTld09wKt2bIC9mc3v05gLZfVBYFncPQ9ECSRzfHKoY~R~dzitaGgthY-6AbkkhmtePj7VBwA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","","date","2025-03-20T13:45:55Z","article","Board members discussed a proposal called Free Market Health — a prescription‑focused program presented to the district by the consortium — and asked staff to gather more information before any enrollment decisions.

Ms. Matthews described the program as a Kasia/consortium initiative tied to Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield that would add a third coverage tier primarily focused on GLP‑1 medications and mail‑order competitive bidding. Matthews said employees already on a prescription would be grandfathered if their prescription was active at the time of a rollover. She emphasized the program is not mandatory; districts that do not participate may face higher premiums.

Board members expressed concern about placing determinations of medical necessity in the insurer's hands. One board member said, “It's a horrible system, but that is exactly the system we live in,” and asked for data on denial rates, time to preauthorization, and whether other districts had experience with the model. Another asked for the demographics of current employee prescriptions to assess how the change would affect staff.

Staff agreed to obtain: (1) usage demographics from the insurance carrier, (2) denial and preauthorization rates for comparable districts, and (3) examples from other consortiums that have implemented the model. Matthews said the program is new to the consortium and staff will return with additional data for bargaining‑unit discussions.

Ending: The board requested additional vendor performance and demographic data before considering participation and asked staff to share the findings with unions and the board.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Cohoes BOE Meeting March 19, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Board members pressed staff for more information about a proposed prescription program that would add a third tier and rely on insurer determinations of medical necessity; staff said participation is voluntary but will gather utilization and denial data.","taxTitle","COHOES CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT, School Districts, New York","taxId",70135,"location","New York","headline","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},6115780,"District seeks transportation‑RFP responses; staff to evaluate bids with new penalty language, April 22 due date set",300,4436000,4736000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2736333-70c33801c5f45784182e0482be3ce7cc&start=4436&end=4736","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2736333-70c33801c5f45784182e0482be3ce7cc/thumbnail_4436000.jpg","/articles/6115780/New-York/District-seeks-transportationRFP-responses-staff-to-evaluate-bids-with-new-penalty-language-April-22-due-date-set","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6115780-129ecff63066ddbcf1ac9a6eca79202b/orig.mp4?Expires=1771143129&Signature=duG2o-qM8vYBeAtcksFojrTGksaCoaQ~daLKOPlX4YyyDizDekqEps8P2BygnAseN2ZUh~OAGBgHIKgJiLFTLPBquwjlGV9K5BEoaXBkM3IhelKF2Rv5GxDjS9b4btsnayhWqfhL5bMnx~26WF0Vi0YPBonU4uZaBzlzZCaTFuWURvYgOEneAC9OpwzpylRMP7ttyocQIVsUQCnq4HNxq~bRza-CFjsdwfIUXNgEKfZ0mjg-W3A1wskKlTa4OlInGawDCMiFiV4fkAJsG1nmS66A6T8Z9jbLhGN2NgxOw7aoCBgrUIvwNDLhuWnkzzzxOJo0CmiVKLZIcziJ-GiHQg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The board heard a status report on the district's planned transportation RFP and new contract language at its March 19 meeting.

Ms. Matthews, a district staff member providing finance and operations updates, said the transportation RFP will cover contracted services for special programs, BOCES CTE runs, McKinney‑Vento students, foster students, ELL transport and the summer‑age program. She told the board she was working with BOCES on the 72‑page RFP and that the district aims to evaluate proposals in late April with board action in May so a vendor can be in place for summer runs in July and for regular routes at the start of school in September.

Matthews said the draft RFP will include new language asking vendors to propose efficiencies and will introduce monetary penalties where vendors fail to provide contracted services; she described that penalty language as a change from historical practice. The current target due date for proposals is April 22.

Board members asked about protections for field‑trip and athletic trip transportation; staff clarified that those services are typically procured under separate agreements and are not part of this RFP. The board also discussed reimbursing families for transportation as a targeted approach for McKinney‑Vento or special situations; Matthews said the district has done parental reimbursement occasionally and that state rules allow it for some students.

Ending: The district will finish the RFP text, publish it and return with an analysis of incoming proposals in late April/May; staff said they may adjust the advertisement schedule by a week if needed.","District officials said they are preparing an RFP for contracted student transportation covering special programs, BOCES CTE, McKinney‑Vento and summer programs; staff said the RFP will include proposed monetary penalties for missed services and that responses are due April 22 with board action planned in May.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},6115784,"Middle school requests 0.5 campus‑monitor FTE, 0.3 art and 0.2 tech sections; officials flag shrinking club participation",658,2558000,3216000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2736333-70c33801c5f45784182e0482be3ce7cc&start=2558&end=3216","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2736333-70c33801c5f45784182e0482be3ce7cc/thumbnail_2558000.jpg","/articles/6115784/New-York/Middle-school-requests-05-campusmonitor-FTE-03-art-and-02-tech-sections-officials-flag-shrinking-club-participation","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6115784-d0d2031215ec837f1b518898a1866703/orig.mp4?Expires=1771143129&Signature=RhrZFHJRHl7XRWTp3F14bZJfkNJt3-Geepprj8AzmpQh2mWMooktXDwr1Vbf~lqfm4kHg5vn6sahGJM~Aic6OrMhbu3--q1jOReuAiEwJsT-EdZ~max74S7SS9bnqZn60xt8ia0SfcJSSERpUXEER-z~rk3jyOqEtXi4FY6d2vcY-o598geno312-VpfslmW7UXEofnxZgDTFtKt4Tjwu4kymfo5-OeizY1HIvRaaQ-xmX7bP8cpy4Mqhh4wqwEVoMmuAOUAvkpqXFeH6McJOC771lIykWH2Y6g5oUCBVJaY2H0atqFisetN2UZ0mUvt3SYfxQyCl4Syvj3oQsb6JQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Cohoes Middle School Principal Mark Peterson presented his needs assessment on March 19, asking the board to consider modest staffing increases and to review club structures.

Peterson said enrollment is stable and that next year's grade mix will shift as students transfer between buildings. On staffing, Peterson requested an additional 0.5 campus safety monitor to stagger coverage and provide morning and afternoon presence; he told the board the school currently has 2.5 monitors on an 8:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m. schedule and that a 0.5 position would raise capacity to three. “We would have them there. We'd be able to stagger their share hours,” Peterson said.

Instructional requests included a 0.3 AIS math extension teacher and a 0.2 technology teacher to address high seventh‑grade cohort sizes; Peterson said the art class is currently taught by a non‑art specialist and that the school is recruiting a true art teacher. Peterson also said one teaching assistant vacancy remains open and that he has advertised for the role.

The board and principals discussed club participation: some clubs show consistently low weekly attendance while others — notably drama and the musical — have surged and absorb many students. Board members suggested examining scheduling, intramural models and club thresholds to increase sustained participation without cutting valued offerings.

Ending: Peterson asked staff and board to evaluate historical club data and explore models that balance large co‑curricular productions with smaller club offerings; staffing requests will be part of the budget review process.","Middle School Principal Mark Peterson presented needs including adding a 0.5 campus safety monitor to stagger coverage, hiring a 0.3 AIS math teacher and noting a current vacancy for one paraprofessional. Peterson and board members also discussed low sustained club membership and the impact of large extracurricular commitments on participation.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},6115787,"High school proposes off‑site alternative program; board given $248,000 full‑model estimate",648,1389000,2037000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2736333-70c33801c5f45784182e0482be3ce7cc&start=1389&end=2037","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2736333-70c33801c5f45784182e0482be3ce7cc/thumbnail_1389000.jpg","/articles/6115787/New-York/High-school-proposes-offsite-alternative-program-board-given-248000-fullmodel-estimate","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6115787-d8a6bb79d7061cb3b2da120083a46d86/orig.mp4?Expires=1771143129&Signature=dHb1989NervzufaKhbyYGNrqcu-ZS938n-vlowG07VB4HiEKV74YCeFTqMhicaBO9ZRcwQ7V72cFsnVKH40czO9ldY2K2~fV3qB5t4PzOrCrz6wcMNj1~aUzSQc8RnVAPMfXp5Os6gt4AJ1M8ZfvObigXkScqM1laVBYgdEXX7R3HMS7XY9jp5p-~HKGrmXaqsjE3qQoXQsjxZ9DAirKFA~18nZsZsaGkcyNL7SkEL8FcTOFi2eL4m3EtWCH53x8Lp8R~FHmG6hPn7uXLnTDByujfVblZZ-gEvz1A8TYv5MwYacCOll9hzjiD~gfW3K9YfzkkUic~I92fAfv1KlloQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Principal Laura Tarlo presented the high school needs assessment and a framework for an off‑site alternative program at the March 19 board meeting.

Tarlo said the district has grown some student cohorts and that the high school is largely staffed. She described programmatic asks rather than staffing gaps and urged the board to consider an off‑site alternative program for freshmen and sophomores that would combine smaller‑group instruction with embedded career‑readiness experiences through partnerships with local employers. Tarlo said the “full model” is roughly $248,000, including “two and a half” staff positions plus supplies and campus safety support.

Tarlo tied the program design to a broader strategy: use an alternative setting to offer credit‑bearing, career‑oriented instruction so students who struggle in large classrooms can transition into CTE or other pathways in upper grades. She said the high school has “a plan” to pair the program with corporate partners and the Connect Center and that staff have discussed potential funding routes and timelines. “We believe we've come up with a framework that would work very well,” Tarlo said.

The board discussed purchasing Yondr phone‑free pouches and iPads for D and L (English learner) students and Securly content‑filtering software. Tarlo and other staff said iPad purchases for D and L students could be funded through a grant and that vendor lead times could be “a few weeks” if the board chooses to act this year. Tarlo advocated for a strategic communications rollout with parent involvement for any phone‑free or device policy changes.

Ending: The board agreed the alternative‑program concept merits further budget work; staff will present cost models and implementation details during upcoming budget discussions.","Principal Laura Tarlo presented the high school's needs assessment and proposed an off‑site alternative program designed for freshmen and sophomores that would include career readiness links; she said the full model costs about $248,000 and would require 2.5 staff positions plus supplies and campus safety support.",{"_33":112,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":113,"_41":114,"_43":115,"_45":116,"_47":117,"_49":118,"_51":119,"_53":120,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":121,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":122,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},6115790,"Cohoes schools report field readiness, batting-cage bid and dugout roof fix for spring sports",375,746000,1121000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2736333-70c33801c5f45784182e0482be3ce7cc&start=746&end=1121","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2736333-70c33801c5f45784182e0482be3ce7cc/thumbnail_746000.jpg","/articles/6115790/New-York/Cohoes-schools-report-field-readiness-batting-cage-bid-and-dugout-roof-fix-for-spring-sports","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6115790-036ac0de08456bc5c825b5a83477cecc/orig.mp4?Expires=1771143129&Signature=imb2YCy0DGI0JqNpJOzycyUzNuSQqUxJtf63W3sGDDhaCmp~f9SEZu627FE6Iz8XC4HQLaFgSd-U~jyI8HXd29E8uFnmsIbNhDHAVCI-gVjjQx7PAlaMEjKV2N26zoZW3hNGe22Jujs383UzmnCOBMcVb74wUbCwthnCaLPoPwOAGTBM~MKZ~3OEz0KjAQj4EkDw1DX9J-1XX28weJLOfWPmQQPKFe90EOzZ24R6LZLaPo~HGjt1q4eBrX13-4U4GuTDCrePYIPoMF~4yJcdwm20HqTkA-~XOzUtiFabafx~5VzSQgInPUufmWJMXj-WKG9R840jV33W6uZUjRbwOg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Athletic and facilities staff told the Cohoes City School District Board on March 19 that high‑school fields are usable for spring practices but that some unfinished work will remain until the summer.

Principal athletic updates came from Jeff, the district athletic director, who said the baseball field was dragged and used for practice the day of the meeting and that the softball infield will be ready in time for the first scheduled game on April 3. Jeff said, “The baseball field… was sufficient for practice today.”

The board heard that the softball infield was turned over to the district late the prior week but that a contractor punch list remains. Stacy, a district staff member involved with the capital project, said the outfield improvements are scheduled for the summer and will not affect the upcoming season. Stacy described a design flaw in the dugout roofs: the roofs will be removed so athletes can use the dugouts without a roof during the season and the concrete pad and roof structure will be rebuilt after the season.

Board members asked about a proposed batting cage in the capital project. Jeff and Stacy said the cage as bid is a single‑lane design. Jeff said the district asked for one lane as an incremental addition to the larger project; board members suggested cost‑out comparisons for one versus two lanes because shared infrastructure can reduce the incremental cost of a second lane. Stacy reported that bid openings occurred the same day and that the cost for the cage line item was $150,000.

The athletic update included roster and participation detail: JV and varsity baseball combined reported 31 players, modified baseball 24; JV/varsity softball 26, modified softball 27; boys outdoor track 52 and girls 36, leading the athletics staff to plan for two buses to meets. Jeff also noted a successful winter season: the girls bowling team won the Class B sectional and finished seventh at the state meet; Alexis Yando was named to a composite all‑section team.

Board members pressed staff to check whether the single‑lane cage meets long‑term needs and asked that the district discuss alternatives and cost tradeoffs with the capital‑project team. Stacy said the district will bring the question to the relevant capital project review meeting.

Ending: The board received the update and flagged the batting cage and dugout redesign as items for follow‑up at the capital‑project and facilities discussions; staff said final paving and other bid items will return to the board in April.","Athletic staff told the board the baseball and softball infields are usable for practice; the district received bids including a $150,000 price for a single‑lane batting cage. Dugout roofs on the softball field will be removed for the season and rebuilt after summer work.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Board raises questions about Free Market Health prescription program; staff will gather vendor and demographic data

District seeks transportation‑RFP responses; staff to evaluate bids with new penalty language, April 22 due date set

Middle school requests 0.5 campus‑monitor FTE, 0.3 art and 0.2 tech sections; officials flag shrinking club participation

High school proposes off‑site alternative program; board given $248,000 full‑model estimate

Cohoes schools report field readiness, batting-cage bid and dugout roof fix for spring sports