The fiscal year (FY) 2003 Local Education Agency (LEA) Special Education Consolidated Application for Part B funds will be disseminated in the Arkansas Department of Education’s bulk mailing. The application is developed in accordance with Special Education and Related Services: Procedural Requirements and Program Standards, 2000; 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 for the administration of the special education program. Due to revisions in the application, several pages of the manual of instructions for FY 2002 have been revised. Discard pages 4 and 12 of the instruction manual disseminated in FY 2002 and replace them with the revised pages 4 and 12 provided in the FY 2003 application packet.
The following revisions have been made to the Consolidated LEA Application.
Budget Amendments:
Amendments for requesting funds from reserve and shifting funds in the FY 2003 budget will be accepted from March 1 to May 1, 2003. When submitting the amendment form, include a copy of the budget summary pages from the application with the changes noted. The summary pages for state equalization aid are located on pages 51-54, and the summary pages for Title VI-B are on pages 55-58.
Interpreter Reimbursement:
If a district submits a request for reimbursement for interpreter services, do not include the amount requested for these services in the initial budget. Contingent upon approval of the reimbursement request, the Grants and Data Management Office will add these funds to the budget and mail a revised copy of the budget to the district.
Title VI-B Grant Allocation for FY 2003:
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act Amendments of 1997 established a permanent formula for distributing Part B (Title VI-B) funds to eligible public agencies. The formula became effective on July 1, 2000. Consistent with 34 CFR 300.712(b), the Arkansas Department of Education (ADE) will distribute Part B funds for the 2002-03 school year not set aside for state administration and state-level activities based on the following criteria.
Base Payment: A public agency will receive the 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 residing within the district for the 2001-2002 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 2001-2002 school year.
Each public agency will receive a data sheet containing the agency’s Part B allocation for fiscal year 2003.
INSERVICE TRAINING:
Listed below is a schedule of dates and locations for inservice training for superintendents, special education supervisors and other interested parties on the fiscal year 2003 Consolidated LEA Application for Special Education and Related Services. Items reviewed will include: (1) special education expenditure requirement of state and local funds, (2) changes in the application, (3) budget preparation and (4) other items (SLIVER grant, etc.)
July 22, 2002:
Southwest Arkansas Education Cooperative (Distance Learning Center)
500 South Spruce
Hope, Arkansas
10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Telephone: (870) 777-3076
July 23, 2002:
Ozark Unlimited Resources Cooperative (Big Lab)
525 Old Bellefonte Road
Harrison, AR 72601
10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Telephone: (501) 743-9100
July 25, 2002:
Southeast Arkansas Service Cooperative (Conference Room A)
1022 Scogin Drive
Monticello, Arkansas
10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Telephone: (870) 367-6848
July 29, 2002:
Crowley’s Ridge Education Cooperative (Conference Room)
203 South Illinois
Harrisburg, Arkansas
10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Telephone: (870) 578-5426
August 1, 2002:
Wilbur D. Mills Education Cooperative (Early Childhood Building)
210 North Main Street
Beebe, Arkansas
10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Telephone: (501) 882-5467
Inservice participants must register on or before July 18 by contacting the cooperative where the individual plans to attend.
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