Preston — The Board of Education has approved a new five-year contract with Norwich Free Academy and expanded high school choices to Griswold High School and Wheeler High School in North Stonington.

The Preston board voted unanimously Monday to approve the NFA contract and became the second of eight NFA partner districts to approve a new five-year contract, NFA spokesman Michael O’Farrell said. Lisbon also has approved it.

Preston, Norwich and Canterbury had sought negotiations and possible language changes to the previous contract, rather than an automatic renewal. The new five-year contract is the same for all districts.

Preston Superintendent Roy Seitsinger told the Board of Education some changes Preston had sought were incorporated in the contract, while NFA officials pledged to improve communication on special education and other issues.

The new NFA contract, which runs from July 1, 2020, to June 30, 2025, contains new language addressing special education programs and costs. In January, NFA board of trustees made sweeping changes to special education programs, some with steep tuition increases. Those were rescinded in June, when the NFA Foundation provided a one-time $1.3 million grant to freeze all NFA tuition this year.

The new NFA contract states that if NFA proposes changes to special education tuition — other than a typical annual increase — the sending districts will be “advised of the change and the basis for the change.” The academy also will provide a copy of its special education program portfolio, if requested.

The new contract also reflects a change ordered by the state Department of Education last year after Norwich appealed NFA's practice of billing the city for tutoring of students expelled by NFA for disciplinary reasons. The state ruled NFA must pay for the alternative education.

“An evening program for expelled students, Wildcat Academy, has been in place at NFA’s Sachem Campus location since November 2019,” NFA board of trustees Chairman DeVol Joyner wrote to Preston school board Chairman Sean Nugent in a letter outlining the contract changes.

Seitsinger said Preston officials wanted to ensure there is “good, clear, clean communication” on special education issues, and NFA pledged to improve communication and allow Preston officials to attend special education placement meetings.

With the one-year tuition hike freeze, Preston will pay NFA $12,985 for regular education tuition this year and varying rates for special education programs. About 160 Preston students attend NFA, which has a total enrollment of about 2,300.

The Preston board on Monday voted 6-1, with member Edward Gauthier voting against, to approve new five-year contracts with much smaller Wheeler in North Stonington and Griswold High School.

The Griswold contract allows up to 15 freshmen, 10 sophomores, 10 juniors and five seniors from Preston to attend in 2020-21. In future years, up to 15 new Preston freshmen could attend the school. Griswold High regular education tuition is $12,563, and special education, $25,181. Tuition for an off-site alternative program is $45,478.

The new contract between Preston and North Stonington allows up to 10 students per grade level to attend Wheeler. Regular education tuition is $11,433 this year. Special education rates were not available.

“We’re very proud and pleased with our new partnerships,” Seitsinger said. “It will provide another set of options for students who might want to go to a smaller high school.”

c.bessette@theday.com