The Arkansas Department of Education (ADE) has received a Special Education Services appropriation in Act 2131 of 2005 that includes funds to support the provision of Extended School Year (ESY) Services to eligible students with disabilities in need of such services, to provide special education services to children with disabilities who are wards of the State placed by the Department of Human Services (DHS) in out-of-state therapeutic treatment programs, and to provide funds to support the payment of salaries of special education supervisors. The ADE must distribute these funds in a manner necessary to carry out the intent of the appropriation.
Because federal monitors found the Arkansas special education program out of compliance in the appropriate identification and provision of ESY services to students with disabilities, the level of reimbursement for these direct services to high-need students is being increased. This will allow the ADE to better address the costs associated with these necessary services and to continue to maintain the improvements required for federal compliance. ADE Special Education Procedural Requirements and Program Standards, Section 19.00, contains a methodology for the allocation of state funds related to the provision of ESY Services to students with disabilities.
ADE Special Education Procedural Requirements and Program Standards, Section 18.00, contains a methodology for the allocation of state funds related to the provision of direct education services to students with disabilities that are wards of the state and that have been placed for treatment out of state by DHS.
The ADE Annual State Application Under Part B of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), Part 3 - XII, Personnel Standards, provides for special education administrators' qualifications, but does not contain a methodology for the allocation of state funds to support the salaries of special education administrators (supervisors). For the 2005-2006 school year, the ADE will distribute funds for this purpose on the basis of valid 2004-2005 contracts on file with the ADE Special Education Unit as of May 31, 2005.
The maximum amount of funding to support the salary cost of each qualified special education supervisor working full-time on special education activities in FY 2005-2006 is estimated to be $27,510. This is less than the current maximum funding amount due to a flat appropriation for the upcoming biennium, the increased reimbursement level for the provision of direct ESY education and related services, and the increase in the number of LEA Special Education Supervisors funded over time.