Funding for SN kids at DCPS and Charters?

[Anonymous]

Can anyone on this board describe how funding for a SN kid works in DC?

I'm wondering whether a school (DCPS or Charter) gets more money to deal with SN kids, or if it comes out of the regular budget (I.e., competing with other school programs)?

If I were a school administrator would I have an incentive to provide appropriate services, or would I dread a SN kid, knowing there'd be less to go around fir everyone?

Or do you basically get funding for the providers (e.g., one special education coordinator), and thus compete with other SN kids for services? For example, one special Ed coordinator in a school with only three kids who qualify for minimal services goes further than a school with one special Ed coordinator for a School with 12 IEPs?

Someone help me make sense, please.

Signed,
Mom of kid with HFA

[Anonymous]

Schools do get addl fedl dollars to provide services to kids with disabilities (services are entitled to under IDEA - Individuals with Disabilities Act). That said the amount appropriated has never been equal to the cost (last I read about 30% of costs are covered). So states kick in funds - some more than others.

My SN son was at a DCPCS elementary a few years ago and I became friendly with the sped coordinator. The school seemed to spend whatever was needed to meet the IEPs and it was known to be a very good school for SN kids. Her budget was always short and usually the general Ed budget would be tapped to make ends meet. I also recall that one year a significant portion of dollars raised by the PTO went to fund the special ed services.

I am sure it works differently in a trad public school where providers are district employees who often have caseloads at multiple schools.

[Anonymous]

Kids with disabilities are assigned to tiers, depending on their level of need as specified by their IEP. Schools receive funding based on their tier. The funding is used to hire special education staff, including teachers, evaluators, and therapists.

For many kids the funding is not adequate to cover all of their needs, and so some additional funds must come from the general budget.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Schools do get addl fedl dollars to provide services to kids with disabilities (services are entitled to under IDEA - Individuals with Disabilities Act). That said the amount appropriated has never been equal to the cost (last I read about 30% of costs are covered). So states kick in funds - some more than others.

My SN son was at a DCPCS elementary a few years ago and I became friendly with the sped coordinator. The school seemed to spend whatever was needed to meet the IEPs and it was known to be a very good school for SN kids. Her budget was always short and usually the general Ed budget would be tapped to make ends meet. I also recall that one year a significant portion of dollars raised by the PTO went to fund the special ed services.

I am sure it works differently in a trad public school where providers are district employees who often have caseloads at multiple schools.

The 30% figure refers to special education funds given by the feds to the states (or in DC's case the "state agency"). The money that charters get comes from the state, and generally meets more than 30% of the need, although it depends on the student. Tiers are based on the number of hours of service a child gets. A child who gets their services in a group, is going to cost less than a child who receives 1:1 services. Services for a child whose hours are at the bottom of the range for a tier will cost less than one whose hours are at the top of a tier.