H0704B3778A07709 BIL:JMM 06/15/10 #90 A07709 | ||||||||
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AMENDMENTS TO HOUSE BILL NO. 704 | ||||||||
Sponsor: REPRESENTATIVE STURLA | ||||||||
Printer's No. 3778 | ||||||||
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1 | Amend Bill, page 1, lines 13 through 17; pages 2 through 15, | |||||||
2 | lines 1 through 30; page 16, lines 1 through 14, by striking out | |||||||
3 | ||||||||
4 | ||||||||
5 | (P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public School Code of 1949, is | |||||||
6 | ||||||||
7 | Section 2501. Definitions.--For the purposes of this article | |||||||
8 | ||||||||
9 | ||||||||
10 | (31) "Actual Special Education Spending." An amount equal to | |||||||
11 | ||||||||
12 | ||||||||
13 | designated in the Manual of Accounting and Related Financial | |||||||
14 | ||||||||
15 | ||||||||
16 | ||||||||
17 | ||||||||
18 | ||||||||
19 | ||||||||
20 | ||||||||
21 | established by the Department of Education pursuant to section | |||||||
22 | 612(a)(15) of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act | |||||||
23 | (Public Law 91-230, 20 U.S.C. § 1412(a)(15)), to assess progress | |||||||
24 | toward achieving State goals for the performance of eligible | |||||||
25 | ||||||||
26 | (35) "Public Notice." Full and timely release of information | |||||||
27 | and documents for public access at a minimum through publication | |||||||
28 | ||||||||
29 | ||||||||
30 | (ii) on its publicly accessible Internet website for no less | |||||||
31 | ||||||||
32 | ||||||||
33 | ||||||||
34 | ||||||||
35 | operated primarily for students who have not been identified as | |||||||
36 | students with disabilities who are in need of special education. | |||||||
37 | (37) "Regular School." A neighborhood school, magnet school, | |||||||
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1 | or other public school operated for all students, not solely | |||||||
2 | ||||||||
3 | ||||||||
4 | as revisions, updates and amendments for all special education | |||||||
5 | ||||||||
6 | school district for eligible students, filed by each district | |||||||
7 | ||||||||
8 | applicable Federal and State law, including 22 Pa. Code 14.104 | |||||||
9 | ||||||||
10 | ||||||||
11 | ||||||||
12 | ||||||||
13 | ||||||||
14 | ||||||||
15 | education funding received by a school district from the State. | |||||||
16 | ||||||||
17 | ||||||||
18 | ||||||||
19 | ||||||||
20 | ||||||||
21 | education and the amount of any change in funding, if any. The | |||||||
22 | calculations pursuant to this section shall determine only the | |||||||
23 | distribution of any increase in the funding among the school | |||||||
24 | ||||||||
25 | ||||||||
26 | ||||||||
27 | education allocation for each school district in the year for | |||||||
28 | which funds are being appropriated by calculating the sum of the | |||||||
29 | ||||||||
30 | ||||||||
31 | ||||||||
32 | (2) the absolute value of the difference between the special | |||||||
33 | education allocation in the base year for the school district | |||||||
34 | and the highest annual level of the special education allocation | |||||||
35 | for the school district in the years subsequent to the base year | |||||||
36 | except for the year for which funds are being appropriated; and | |||||||
37 | ||||||||
38 | which funds are being appropriated for the school district as | |||||||
39 | ||||||||
40 | ||||||||
41 | ||||||||
42 | being appropriated for each school district by calculating the | |||||||
43 | ||||||||
44 | (1) the difference between the total State appropriation for | |||||||
45 | special education aggregated for all school districts in the | |||||||
46 | year for which funds are being appropriated and the total State | |||||||
47 | appropriation for special education aggregated for all school | |||||||
48 | districts in the immediately preceding year, or zero, whichever | |||||||
49 | ||||||||
50 | (2) the special education distribution factor for the school | |||||||
51 | ||||||||
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1 | ||||||||
2 | ||||||||
3 | dividing the distribution subfactor for each school district | |||||||
4 | ||||||||
5 | ||||||||
6 | ||||||||
7 | distribution subfactor for each school district by calculating | |||||||
8 | ||||||||
9 | ||||||||
10 | quantity determined under subsection (f) and its actual special | |||||||
11 | education spending averaged for the three (3) most recent years, | |||||||
12 | ||||||||
13 | ||||||||
14 | ||||||||
15 | ||||||||
16 | equalized millage averaged for the three (3) most recent years | |||||||
17 | divided by the equalized millage that represents the seventy- | |||||||
18 | ||||||||
19 | ||||||||
20 | ||||||||
21 | subfactor quantity for each school district by calculating the | |||||||
22 | ||||||||
23 | ||||||||
24 | ||||||||
25 | (i) An amount on behalf of eligible students with category 3 | |||||||
26 | ||||||||
27 | ||||||||
28 | ||||||||
29 | ||||||||
30 | ||||||||
31 | eligible students included in this calculation who are placed by | |||||||
32 | the school district and served in public or private separate | |||||||
33 | ||||||||
34 | placements shall not exceed three and one-half percent (3.5%) of | |||||||
35 | all eligible students with individualized education programs | |||||||
36 | ||||||||
37 | established in the Part B State Annual Performance Plan filed by | |||||||
38 | the department pursuant to the Individuals with Disabilities | |||||||
39 | Education Act (Public Law 91-230, 20 U.S.C. § 1400 et seq.), | |||||||
40 | ||||||||
41 | ||||||||
42 | ||||||||
43 | ||||||||
44 | ||||||||
45 | ||||||||
46 | ||||||||
47 | ||||||||
48 | ||||||||
49 | membership designated for category 2 disabilities as provided | |||||||
50 | ||||||||
51 | (C) the weighting factor for eligible students with category | |||||||
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1 | ||||||||
2 | ||||||||
3 | (iii) An amount on behalf of eligible students with category | |||||||
4 | ||||||||
5 | (A) the school district's modified average daily membership, | |||||||
6 | ||||||||
7 | ||||||||
8 | membership designated for category 1 disabilities as provided | |||||||
9 | ||||||||
10 | (C) the weighting factor for eligible students with category | |||||||
11 | ||||||||
12 | ||||||||
13 | ||||||||
14 | ||||||||
15 | ||||||||
16 | ||||||||
17 | ||||||||
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20 | ||||||||
21 | ||||||||
22 | ||||||||
23 | ||||||||
24 | membership which shall be designated as category 1 and category | |||||||
25 | ||||||||
26 | designated percentage for each category shall not exceed the | |||||||
27 | actual proportion of students in this Commonwealth classified as | |||||||
28 | having such disabilities in the most recent year for which data | |||||||
29 | ||||||||
30 | ||||||||
31 | ||||||||
32 | ||||||||
33 | (3) A description of and parameters for category 1, category | |||||||
34 | 2 and category 3 disabilities for purposes of subsection (f)(1), | |||||||
35 | ||||||||
36 | disabilities typically requiring the least intensive range of | |||||||
37 | services be categorized in category 1 and disabilities typically | |||||||
38 | requiring the most intensive range of services be categorized in | |||||||
39 | ||||||||
40 | ||||||||
41 | ||||||||
42 | ||||||||
43 | ||||||||
44 | accounting and costing-out standards in determining the special | |||||||
45 | ||||||||
46 | ||||||||
47 | than three (3) public hearings in different regions of the State | |||||||
48 | ||||||||
49 | ||||||||
50 | representing the Department of Education, parents of eligible | |||||||
51 | students, teachers, school administrators, school board members, | |||||||
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1 | higher education faculty and existing State committees, advisory | |||||||
2 | panels and task forces established under Federal or State law, | |||||||
3 | ||||||||
4 | ||||||||
5 | legislators from each of the four (4) legislative caucuses, to | |||||||
6 | ||||||||
7 | replaced at the discretion of the leadership of each caucus. The | |||||||
8 | commission may perform its duties regardless of whether all four | |||||||
9 | (4) legislative caucuses have actually appointed members to the | |||||||
10 | ||||||||
11 | utilize legislative staff for assistance in developing special | |||||||
12 | education formula components. The Department of Education shall | |||||||
13 | provide the commission with data, research and other relevant | |||||||
14 | ||||||||
15 | ||||||||
16 | forty-five (45) days of the effective date of this section. The | |||||||
17 | commission shall hold its first meeting within ninety (90) days | |||||||
18 | ||||||||
19 | develop the special education formula components specified in | |||||||
20 | subsection (g) within two hundred and forty (240) days of the | |||||||
21 | effective date of this section, and shall issue a report of its | |||||||
22 | ||||||||
23 | Senate and Minority Leader of the Senate, the Speaker of the | |||||||
24 | House of Representatives and the Minority Leader of the House of | |||||||
25 | ||||||||
26 | Education Committee of the Senate and the chairman and minority | |||||||
27 | ||||||||
28 | ||||||||
29 | ||||||||
30 | Board of Education shall draft proposed regulations to implement | |||||||
31 | the special education funding provisions of this section using | |||||||
32 | without alteration to the special education formula components | |||||||
33 | specified in subsection (g) as developed by the commission. If | |||||||
34 | the commission does not issue the required report within the | |||||||
35 | required time period or if the commission’s report does not | |||||||
36 | designate the special education formula components specified in | |||||||
37 | subsection (g), then the State Board of Education shall in a | |||||||
38 | timely manner promulgate proposed regulations to designate the | |||||||
39 | special education formula components specified in subsection (g) | |||||||
40 | ||||||||
41 | ||||||||
42 | ||||||||
43 | components, the commission shall meet and hold public hearings | |||||||
44 | ||||||||
45 | ||||||||
46 | shall issue such report to the bodies and individuals listed in | |||||||
47 | clause (4). When in receipt of a further report recommending | |||||||
48 | changes to the special education formula components specified in | |||||||
49 | subsection (g), the State Board of Education shall promulgate | |||||||
50 | proposed regulations through the regulatory review process to | |||||||
51 | ||||||||
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1 | commission in the special education formula components specified | |||||||
2 | ||||||||
3 | ||||||||
4 | ||||||||
5 | ||||||||
6 | investments in special education in public schools in order to | |||||||
7 | enable eligible students to attain applicable Federal and State | |||||||
8 | ||||||||
9 | ||||||||
10 | insufficient funds are appropriated for purposes of this section | |||||||
11 | for the 2010-2011 school year, each school district shall be | |||||||
12 | paid the amount it received during the 2008-2009 school year | |||||||
13 | ||||||||
14 | ||||||||
15 | percent (1%) of the total State special education appropriation | |||||||
16 | ||||||||
17 | expenses under section 2509.8. The Department of Education shall | |||||||
18 | ||||||||
19 | ||||||||
20 | special education expenses not anticipated through the special | |||||||
21 | education funding formula. School districts and charter schools | |||||||
22 | may apply for resources through the fund pursuant to procedures | |||||||
23 | established by the Department of Education. The Department of | |||||||
24 | Education shall make payments from the fund in response to such | |||||||
25 | ||||||||
26 | ||||||||
27 | ||||||||
28 | ||||||||
29 | ||||||||
30 | ||||||||
31 | ||||||||
32 | ||||||||
33 | special education service and program delivery system and which | |||||||
34 | ||||||||
35 | funding for special education, in order to provide the student | |||||||
36 | ||||||||
37 | ||||||||
38 | (l) To the extent that funds are appropriated by the General | |||||||
39 | ||||||||
40 | ||||||||
41 | ||||||||
42 | ||||||||
43 | least eighty percent (80%) of the school day for at least sixty- | |||||||
44 | five percent (65%) of eligible students, as averaged for the two | |||||||
45 | (2) most recent school years for which data are available or | |||||||
46 | increasing the number of eligible students receiving instruction | |||||||
47 | within the regular classroom by at least fifteen percent (15%) | |||||||
48 | in the most recent school year for which data are available. | |||||||
49 | ||||||||
50 | available, performance by eligible students on State academic | |||||||
51 | ||||||||
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1 | district, meeting State standards for adequate yearly progress | |||||||
2 | by any method approved by the Federal and State governments, | |||||||
3 | including, but not limited to, meeting the annual target, the | |||||||
4 | ||||||||
5 | ||||||||
6 | ||||||||
7 | ||||||||
8 | (m) The Department of Education shall develop guidelines for | |||||||
9 | ||||||||
10 | ||||||||
11 | (n) The Department of Education shall issue an annual report | |||||||
12 | to the General Assembly documenting use of the grants issued | |||||||
13 | pursuant to subsection (l), and shall give public notice about | |||||||
14 | ||||||||
15 | (o) Nothing in subsection (l) or any other provision of this | |||||||
16 | ||||||||
17 | eligible student to receive education in the least restrictive | |||||||
18 | ||||||||
19 | Education Program (IEP) teams to make appropriate program and | |||||||
20 | placement decisions for eligible students in accordance with the | |||||||
21 | ||||||||
22 | ||||||||
23 | Commonwealth Taxpayers.--(a) (1) The Department of Education | |||||||
24 | shall determine the form and manner in which school districts | |||||||
25 | shall submit a special education plan and revisions, updates and | |||||||
26 | ||||||||
27 | section. The special education plan shall be consistent with | |||||||
28 | other existing plans and reports required by the Department of | |||||||
29 | ||||||||
30 | ||||||||
31 | education plans). Special education plans shall be written in a | |||||||
32 | manner that is easy to use and understand by parents and the | |||||||
33 | ||||||||
34 | ||||||||
35 | ||||||||
36 | ||||||||
37 | ||||||||
38 | ||||||||
39 | ||||||||
40 | ||||||||
41 | (iv) provide a written explanation when disapproving a plan. | |||||||
42 | ||||||||
43 | education plan and revisions, updates and amendments that in the | |||||||
44 | ||||||||
45 | ||||||||
46 | ||||||||
47 | ||||||||
48 | recent student achievement results and pursuant to performance | |||||||
49 | indicators, with specific focus on individual schools, grade | |||||||
50 | levels and populations of students that demonstrate inadequate | |||||||
51 | ||||||||
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1 | eligible students as measured by academic performance whenever | |||||||
2 | possible in the general education curriculum, acquisition of | |||||||
3 | knowledge and skills, progress toward graduation, accomplishment | |||||||
4 | of individualized education program goals, including appropriate | |||||||
5 | ||||||||
6 | ||||||||
7 | ||||||||
8 | ||||||||
9 | and strategies of the school district for children from birth | |||||||
10 | through five (5) years of age and five (5) years of age through | |||||||
11 | seven (7) years of age designed to reduce the need for special | |||||||
12 | ||||||||
13 | ||||||||
14 | ||||||||
15 | identified as such if the student no longer qualifies under the | |||||||
16 | provisions of 22 Pa. Code Ch. 14 (relating to special education | |||||||
17 | ||||||||
18 | ||||||||
19 | plan, update or revision submitted pursuant to this section, the | |||||||
20 | Department of Education shall withhold the portion of the annual | |||||||
21 | State increase in special education funding which exceeds the | |||||||
22 | index until such a time as a written special education plan, | |||||||
23 | ||||||||
24 | ||||||||
25 | ||||||||
26 | technical assistance and special education plan review by the | |||||||
27 | Department of Education, the staff in relevant offices, bureaus | |||||||
28 | ||||||||
29 | intermediate units and consultants, and shall neither delegate | |||||||
30 | ||||||||
31 | Education. The Secretary of Education shall have the authority | |||||||
32 | to contract for additional assistance with intermediate units | |||||||
33 | and consultants for these purposes, so long as such contracts do | |||||||
34 | not create a conflict of interest or supplant existing service | |||||||
35 | ||||||||
36 | ||||||||
37 | thereafter, each school district receiving an increase in its | |||||||
38 | ||||||||
39 | index shall update its special education plan based on overall | |||||||
40 | circumstances, shall also revise the special education plan to | |||||||
41 | show in detail how the increase above the index will be used and | |||||||
42 | ||||||||
43 | ||||||||
44 | school district decides to amend its special education plan more | |||||||
45 | broadly to reflect the receipt of new funding, the Department of | |||||||
46 | Education shall allow a district to meet the requirements of | |||||||
47 | this section by adding the mandated information as an appendix | |||||||
48 | ||||||||
49 | ||||||||
50 | supports that expressly benefit eligible students educated in | |||||||
51 | the least restrictive environment in accordance with Federal and | |||||||
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1 | ||||||||
2 | ||||||||
3 | ||||||||
4 | the suggested use of State funds for programs and supports that | |||||||
5 | ||||||||
6 | ||||||||
7 | ||||||||
8 | ||||||||
9 | ||||||||
10 | ||||||||
11 | ||||||||
12 | ||||||||
13 | ||||||||
14 | ||||||||
15 | (viii) reducing caseloads for special education teachers and | |||||||
16 | ||||||||
17 | ||||||||
18 | classrooms with supports in accordance with the individualized | |||||||
19 | education program (IEP) developed for each eligible student. | |||||||
20 | (4) Nothing in this subsection shall be construed to require | |||||||
21 | school districts to implement only the programs and supports | |||||||
22 | ||||||||
23 | ||||||||
24 | ||||||||
25 | meet student needs shall also be provided in the following ways: | |||||||
26 | ||||||||
27 | ||||||||
28 | funding, special education plans, the implementation of 22 Pa. | |||||||
29 | Code § 14.104 and other special education accountability issues | |||||||
30 | for public school entities serving eligible students and this | |||||||
31 | ||||||||
32 | ||||||||
33 | ||||||||
34 | withhold the portion of the annual State increase in special | |||||||
35 | education funding which exceeds the index until such a time as a | |||||||
36 | written special education plan, update or revision is approved. | |||||||
37 | ||||||||
38 | ||||||||
39 | education plans, including, but not limited to, compliance with | |||||||
40 | ||||||||
41 | ||||||||
42 | ||||||||
43 | performance indicators or failing to comply with subsection (b); | |||||||
44 | ||||||||
45 | ||||||||
46 | ||||||||
47 | ||||||||
48 | progress to meet student needs based on performance indicators; | |||||||
49 | ||||||||
50 | (D) determine whether to withhold up to five percent (5%) of | |||||||
51 | ||||||||
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1 | identified pursuant to this clause while the identified problems | |||||||
2 | ||||||||
3 | (ii) If the Department of Education determines that a school | |||||||
4 | district is making substantial progress toward resolving the | |||||||
5 | ||||||||
6 | ||||||||
7 | ||||||||
8 | ||||||||
9 | ||||||||
10 | shall automatically conduct a thorough review of the special | |||||||
11 | ||||||||
12 | higher ratio of eligible students in the district to its average | |||||||
13 | daily membership for all students than the State average, as | |||||||
14 | established by the department, and of any district where the | |||||||
15 | ratio of eligible students in the school district to its average | |||||||
16 | daily membership for all students in the most recent school year | |||||||
17 | ||||||||
18 | percent (10%) over the previous year or of any district where | |||||||
19 | the ratio has increased by an annual average of more than five | |||||||
20 | ||||||||
21 | Appropriate remedial action, including withholding up to five | |||||||
22 | ||||||||
23 | ||||||||
24 | justified by the Department of Education after consultation with | |||||||
25 | ||||||||
26 | ||||||||
27 | school district a notice specifying the department's decisions | |||||||
28 | and actions pursuant to this section and the rationale for such | |||||||
29 | ||||||||
30 | response to the department about the department's decisions and | |||||||
31 | actions regarding that district made pursuant to this section. | |||||||
32 | The written response must be submitted to the department within | |||||||
33 | thirty (30) calendar days of the department's notice or within | |||||||
34 | thirty (30) calendar days of receiving the notice, whichever is | |||||||
35 | greater. The department shall consider the written response, | |||||||
36 | ||||||||
37 | ||||||||
38 | written decision addressing the concerns and claims made in the | |||||||
39 | written response, explaining the judgment of the department in | |||||||
40 | ||||||||
41 | opportunity to appeal this matter to the Secretary of Education | |||||||
42 | ||||||||
43 | practice and procedure of Commonwealth agencies) and 7 Subch. A | |||||||
44 | (relating to judicial review of Commonwealth agency action) and | |||||||
45 | 1 Pa. Code Part II (relating to general rules of administrative | |||||||
46 | ||||||||
47 | convene a hearing within thirty (30) calendar days after receipt | |||||||
48 | ||||||||
49 | render a written hearing decision within thirty (30) calendar | |||||||
50 | ||||||||
51 | ||||||||
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1 | ||||||||
2 | ||||||||
3 | ||||||||
4 | provisions of a collective bargaining agreement between a school | |||||||
5 | entity and an employee organization in effect on the effective | |||||||
6 | ||||||||
7 | ||||||||
8 | ||||||||
9 | 2509.13 for the 2010-2011 school year, the requirements of this | |||||||
10 | ||||||||
11 | ||||||||
12 | regulations for promulgation by the State Board of Education | |||||||
13 | ||||||||
14 | ||||||||
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