Enclosed is the fiscal year (FY) 2001 Local Education Agency (LEA) Consolidated Application for federal and state/local funds. The application has been revised in accordance with Special Education and Related Services: Procedural Requirements and Program Standards, 2000, and Special Education Eligibility Criteria and Program Guidelines for Children with Disabilities, Ages 3-21, 2000, and subsequent rules and regulations adopted by the Arkansas State Board of Education, as regulations for the administration of the special education program. Due to revisions in the application, enclosed is a revised manual of instructions. Please discard the instruction manual disseminated in 1999 and replace it with the revised manual.
Revisions to the Consolidated LEA Application
Assurances and Agreements:
In compliance with IDEA 97 and Special Education and Related Services: Procedural Requirements and Program Standards, 2000, and Special Education Eligibility Criteria and Program Guidelines for Children with Disabilities, Ages 3-21, 2000, the assurances have been revised. Please refer to the attachment.
Budget:
Please note the following changes regarding the budget:
1. Schedule of Payments: The "Schedule of Payments" section of the budget has been deleted. Part B pass-through funds will be disbursed quarterly in equal installments according to the approved budget (minus the cash-on-hand as of June 30, 2000) for FY 2001. Grant disbursements will also be determined by the mid-year report of expenditures of Part B pass-through funds submitted by public agencies in January of each year.
2. Dues and Subscriptions: Public agencies may budget expenditures for dues and subscriptions under Function Code 2211, Object Code 68000 (Local Special Education Supervisor's Office).
Title VI-B Grant Allocation for FY 2001:
As stated previously in Director's Communication ACC-00-051 of March 29, 2000, the distribution formula for Part B (Title VI-B) will change effective with the 2000-2001 school year. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act Amendments of 1997 established a permanent formula for distributing Part B funds to eligible public agencies. According to Federal regulations implementing the IDEA, at 34 CFR 300.706, the permanent formula will become effective beginning with the fiscal year in which the amount appropriated for Part B exceeds $4,924,672,200. Because the appropriation for 2000-2001 exceeds that "trigger" amount, the permanent distribution formula will become effective on July 1, 2000. Consistent with 34 CFR 300.712(b), the Arkansas Department of Education (ADE) will distribute Part B funds not set aside for state administration and state-level activities based on the following criteria:
Base Payment: A public agency will receive an amount it would have received if the ADE had distributed seventy-five (75) percent of the fiscal year 2000 grant award (1999-2000 school year). The remaining funds will be distributed as follows:
Enrollment: Eighty-five (85) percent of the remaining funds will be distributed on the basis of the public and private school enrollment of elementary and secondary students for the 1999-2000 school year.
Poverty Level: Fifteen (15) percent of the remaining funds will be distributed on the basis of the school-age population living in poverty. Allocation for each public agency will be based on the total free and reduced school lunch applications for each agency for the 1999-2000 school year.
Each public agency will receive a data sheet containing the agency's Part B allocation for fiscal
year 2000.
Distribution of Part B Funds to Charter Schools:
Attached are the procedures for distributing Part B funds to charter schools.
Note: The enclosures (application forms, financial report forms, etc.) for this memorandum will be mailed separately.