1.Inordertoprovidefundsfortheexcesscostsofinstructionofchildrenrequiringspecial
education, abovethecostsofinstructionofpupilsinaregularcurriculum, aspecialeducation
weighting plan for determining enrollment in each school district is adopted as follows:
a.Pupils in a regular curriculum are assigned a weighting of one.
b.Children requiring special education who require special adaptations while assigned
to a regular classroom for basic instructional purposes and pupils with disabilities placed
in a special education class who receive part of their instruction in regular classrooms
are assigned a weighting of one and eight-tenths. This paragraph also applies to children
requiring special education who require specially designed instruction while assigned to a
regular classroom for basic i
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1. Inordertoprovidefundsfortheexcesscostsofinstructionofchildrenrequiringspecial
education, abovethecostsofinstructionofpupilsinaregularcurriculum, aspecialeducation
weighting plan for determining enrollment in each school district is adopted as follows:
a. Pupils in a regular curriculum are assigned a weighting of one.
b. Children requiring special education who require special adaptations while assigned
to a regular classroom for basic instructional purposes and pupils with disabilities placed
in a special education class who receive part of their instruction in regular classrooms
are assigned a weighting of one and eight-tenths. This paragraph also applies to children
requiring special education who require specially designed instruction while assigned to a
regular classroom for basic instructional purposes.
c. Children requiring special education who require full-time, self-contained special
education placement with little integration into a regular classroom are assigned a weighting
of two and two-tenths. This paragraph also applies to children requiring special education
who require substantial modifications, adaptations, or special education accommodations in
order to benefit from instruction in an integrated classroom.
d. Children requiring special education who have severe disabilities or who have multiple
disabilities are assigned a weighting of four and four-tenths. This paragraph also applies to
children requiring special education who have severe and profound disabilities.
e. Shared-time and part-time pupils of school age who require special education shall be
placed in the proper category and counted in the proportion that the time for which they
are enrolled or receive instruction for the school year bears to the time that full-time pupils,
carrying a normal course schedule, in the same school district, for the same school year are
enrolled and receive instruction.
2. The weighting for each category of child multiplied by the number of children in each
category in the enrollment of a school district, as identified and certified by the director of
special education for the area, determines the weighted enrollment to be used in that district
for purposes of computations required under the state school foundation plan in chapter 257.
3. The weight that a child is assigned under this section shall be dependent upon the
requirededucationalmodificationsnecessarytomeetthespecialeducationneedsofthechild.
Enrollment for the purpose of this section, and all payments to be made pursuant thereto,
includes all children for whom a special education program or course is to be provided
pursuant to section 256.12, subsection 2, sections 273.1 through 273.9, and this chapter,
whether or not the children are actually enrolled upon the records of a school district.
4. On December 1, 1987, and no later than December 1 every two years thereafter,
for the school year commencing the following July 1, the director of the department of
education shall report to the school budget review committee the average costs of providing
instruction for children requiring special education in the categories of the weighting plan
established under this section, and for providing services to nonpublic school students
pursuant to section 256.12, subsection 2, and the director of the department of education
shall make recommendations to the school budget review committee for needed alterations
to make the weighting plan suitable for subsequent school years. The school budget review
committee shall establish the weighting plan for each school year and shall report the plan
to the director of the department of education. The school budget review committee may
establish weights to the nearest hundredth. The school budget review committee shall
not alter the weighting assigned to pupils in a regular curriculum, but it may increase or
decrease the weighting assigned to each category of children requiring special education by
not more than two-tenths of the weighting assigned to pupils in a regular curriculum. The
state board of education shall adopt rules under chapter 17A to implement the weighting
plan for each year and to assist in identification and proper indexing of each child in the
state who requires special education.
5. The division of special education shall audit the reports required in section 273.5
§256B.9, SPECIAL EDUCATION 8
to determine that all children in the area who have been identified as requiring special
education have received the appropriate special education instructional and support services,
and to verify the proper identification of pupils in the area who will require special education
instructional services during the school year in which the report is filed. The division shall
certify to the director of the department of management the correct total enrollment of each
school district in the state, determined by applying the appropriate pupil weighting index to
each child requiring special education, as certified by the directors of special education in
each area.
6. The division may conduct an evaluation of the special education instructional program
or special education support services being provided by an area education agency, school
district, or private agency, pursuant to sections 273.1 through 273.9 and this chapter, to
determine if the program or service is adequate and proper to meet the needs of the child;
if the child is benefiting from the program or service; if the costs are in proportion to the
educational benefits being received; and if there are any improvements that can be made in
the program or service. A written report of the evaluation shall be sent to the area education
agency, school district, or private agency evaluated and to the president of the senate and
speaker of the house of representatives of the general assembly.
7. The costs of special education instructional programs include the costs of purchase of
transportation equipment to meet the special needs of children requiring special education
withtheapprovalofthedirectorofthedepartmentofeducation. Thestateboardofeducation
shall adopt rules under chapter 17A for the purchase of transportation equipment pursuant
to this section.
8. Commencing with the school year beginning July 1, 1976, a school district may expend
an amount not to exceed two-sevenths of an amount equal to the district cost of a school
district for the costs of regular classroom instruction of a child certified under the special
education weighting plan in subsection 1, paragraph “b”, as a pupil with disabilities who
is enrolled in a special class, but who receives part of the pupil’s instruction in a regular
classroom. Unencumbered funds generated for special education instructional programs for
the school year beginning July 1, 1975, and for the school year beginning July 1, 1976, shall
not be expended for such purpose.
9. Funds generated for special education instructional programs under this chapter and
chapter 257 shall not be expended for modifications of school buildings to make them
accessible to children requiring special education.