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ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Fifty-Fifth Legislature, Second Regular Session
AMENDED
special education; cost studies
Purpose
Directs the Arizona Department of Education (ADE) to conduct a cost study of special education programs and appropriates $500,000 from the state General Fund (state GF) to ADE every four fiscal years beginning in FY 2027 to conduct the cost study.
Background
The federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act requires public schools to create an Individualized Education Plan for every child receiving special education services (P.L. 114-95, 114th Congress, 2015). A school district board or the applicable county superintendent must make special education programs and services available for each child with a disability who is between 3 and 22 years of age, including programs for: 1) preschool children with disabilities; and 2) children with disabilities in rehabilitation, corrective or other state-supported and county-supported institutions or facilities (A.R.S. §§ 15-764; 15-765; and 15-771).
ADE conducts annual program and fiscal audits on selected district special education programs to determine the degree of compliance with statute and the appropriate placement of students in special education programs. ADE must submit an annual report of the findings and recompute the weighted student count for educational support services for the district of a student that has been inappropriately placed in a special education program (A.R.S. § 15-236).
S.B. 1519 appropriates $500,000 from the state GF to ADE every four fiscal years beginning in FY 2027.
Provisions
1. Requires ADE, by June 30, 2023, and every four years, to complete a cost study of special education programs that includes the cost of providing statutorily required special education programs to students.
3. Exempts the appropriations from lapsing.
4. Becomes effective on the general effective date.
Amendments Adopted by Committee
1. Delays, from December 1, 2022, to June 30, 2023, the date by which a cost study must be conducted and reduces the frequency from every two years to every four years.
2. Adds an appropriation of $500,000 from the state GF to ADE every four fiscal years beginning in FY 2027 and exempts the appropriations from lapsing.
3. Makes a conforming changes.
Senate Action
ED 2/8/22 DPA 7-0-1
Prepared by Senate Research
February 10, 2022
LB/KJA/slp