MILL HALL — The Keystone Central School District Board of Directors will consider renewing service contracts with River Rock Academy Services and Nittany Learnings Services for Alternative Education for Disruptive Youth (AEDY) in the 2025-2026 school year.

If approved at its voting session on Thursday, July 17, this would be the second year the district chose to include River Rock in this program.

Representatives from both entities provided updates on each of their programs during the board’s work session on Thursday night.

It’s being recommended by the administration that the board reserve five seats at River Rock, at a cost of about $14,000 each, and five seats at Nittany Learning Services, at a cost of $17,000 per seat.

It was noted during board discussion by Superintendent Dr. Francis Redmon, the district reserved 10 seats, receiving an 11th for free, in 2024-2025 and River Rock had five seats after the board elected to include a second AEDY program. River Rock’s initial contract with the district began in January.

Board member Chris Scaff asked Redmon why only five seats were being given to each program.

Redmon said he based the recommendation on how many students, on average, may be in the AEDY program — which is approximately 10.

“If you look at the data… if you average how many student we have in placement at any one time, it’s about 10. Sometimes it’s more and a lot of times it’s less than that,” he said.

Redmon told the board he often tries to look for a balance so the district doesn’t pay for a large number of empty seats, while also avoiding increased costs if it needed to add seats.

“Doing the math, on average, we need about 10 seats every month. And it’s important to have students in two different places because, a lot of times, they get in trouble with each other,” he continued. “That’s why we did five in each.”

He added the district typically only has five seats each at locations, but after the sudden closure of its secondary AEDY program last year, it shifted fully to Nittany Learning Services until the district could secure a contract with River Rock.

Board member Dr. Bill Baldino asked Redmon if either program seems to be working the best.

“Do either of these seem to be doing a better job with producing the product we want,” he asked.

Redmon said, based on feedback from principals both seem to be working equally.

“Most of the students that go to one of the AEDY placements come back and we don’t have the same kind of disciplinary issues with them. Not all (but) most of them come back and have figured out how to regulate, get back on track and try to be a better part of the school community,” he said.

Board member Elisabeth Lynch questioned the costs of each program, and asked if there should be a shift in the number of seats for each service.

“I did notice that River Rock is charging a little over $14,000 and Nittany Learning Services is charging a little over $17,000 for the same product,” he said. “I understand you’ve got to split some groups up. But, it seems like as of right now I would have no problem increasing River Rock and correlating Nittany if you want to keep the same numbers.”

Redmon said he understand Lynch’s thought process, but noted with those five seats the district reserves, Nittany Learning Services provides a free sixth seat. He added that, once more history between the district and River Rock is established, he’d like to consider negotiations for something similar at that facility.

Scaff and other board members agreed.

“It would be a better evaluation next year. I think we should keep equal seats to both of them,” he said.