§ 21-2-706 — Developmental preschool funding

(a) Expenditures by the division for developmental
preschool services shall be subject to the following:
(i) Contractual payments to developmental preschool
service providers shall be sufficient for the providers to
provide adequate services for children age birth through five
(5) years of age with developmental disabilities and delays,
including compensation levels for early childhood special
educators, occupational therapists, physical therapists and
speech-language therapists that are competitive with local
school district compensation levels for those categories;
(ii) Contractual payments to developmental preschool
service providers shall be sufficient for the providers to pay
for professional development activities of their professional
employees and for a statewide program to identify children age
birth through five (5) years of age in need of developmental
preschool services;
(iii) Contracts with developmental preschool service
providers shall require that the providers adopt evidence-based
best practices, as defined by the division by rule and
regulation;
(iv) Three percent (3%) matching local funds shall be
required in contracts with any developmental preschool service
provider.
(b) For purposes of calculating payments to service
providers for the subsequent fiscal year and preparing the
division's budget request to the legislature, the division shall
multiply the number of children age birth through five (5) years
of age with developmental disabilities who are eligible for and
placed on an individualized education program or individualized
family service plan through developmental preschool services on
May 1 of the school year immediately preceding the budget
request by eleven thousand seven hundred ninety-six dollars
($11,796.00) per child per year. Eligibility for developmental
preschool services shall be determined by the state rules and
regulations governing an individualized education program or an
individualized family service plan.
(c) Repealed By Laws 2008, Ch. 86, § 2.
(d) The per child amount specified in subsection (b) of
this section shall be increased by the amount of five hundred
four dollars ($504.00) to provide:
(i) Professional social-emotional development
services as a component of service providers' individualized
education programs or individualized family service plans; and
(ii) Training and technical assistance in early
childhood social-emotional development to early childhood
service providers in the developmental preschools' service
areas.
(e) Commencing with the budget request for the fiscal year
2026 and for each fiscal year thereafter, the department shall
prepare an exception budget request necessary to adjust the
amounts calculated pursuant to subsections (b) and (d) of this
section and as previously adjusted pursuant to this subsection,
to reflect the most recent external cost adjustment enacted by
the legislature pursuant to W.S. 21-13-309(o). The intent of
this subsection is for each budget request to incorporate all
previous adjustments made pursuant to this subsection.
(f) Funds appropriated under subsection (d) of this
section shall only be distributed to developmental preschool
service providers that have established collaborative service
agreements with professional social-emotional development
service providers to provide early intervention services.
(g) For purposes of calculating payments to service
providers made under this section for the subsequent fiscal
year, if the per child amounts specified in this section would
result in service providers receiving payments that are
different from the available appropriation, the payments shall
be adjusted on a pro rata basis so each service provider
receives the same percentage of the per child amounts without
exceeding the total available appropriation.