ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Phoenix, Arizona
special education;
institutional placement
Modifies
the definition of “special education” to include students between the ages of
three and 21 years for the Arizona State Schools for the Deaf and Blind
(ASDB). Stipulates that for determining
special education services to private school pupils under federal law, the
State is required to consider the term to include “home schooled” pupils.
ASDB
was established in 1912 and became a state agency in 1929. The school receives state funding for its
18,050 students through legislative appropriations, including group B weights,
and special education institutional vouchers. The State currently issues
institutional vouchers for ASDB to special education students kindergarten
through grade twelve, pursuant to rules adopted by the State Board of
Education. The bill qualifies pupils
who are ages three and four for institutional vouchers as these pupils are
currently funded through ASDB’s operating budget.
S.B.
1269 additionally requires, for purposes of determining special education
services to private school pupils under existing law, that the State consider
the term to include “home schooled” pupils as well.
Adjustments
made to the budget sections associated with S.B. 1269 are offsetting and are,
therefore, revenue neutral, according to Joint Legislative Budget Committee
staff. Any fiscal impact locally may be
associated with the requirement that school districts use some of their
existing federal funding to provide special education services to home schooled
pupils.
1. Modifies the definition of “special education” to include students between the ages of three and 21 years for the ASDB.
2. Stipulates that for purposes of determining the special education services to private school pupils under existing federal law, the State is required to consider the term to include “home schooled” pupils. Clarifies the term “special education.”
3. Stipulates that if federal monies are provided to a school district or a charter school for special education services to home schooled or private schooled pupils, the school district or charter school is required to provide these special education services to both the home schooled pupils and the private schooled pupils in the same manner.
4. Provides for a general fund offset in the ASDB budget for increases related to the special education voucher funding (established in the Department of Education’s budget and then transferred to the ASDB’s budget).
5. Provides for a general effective date.
Amendments
Adopted by Education Committee and Appropriations Committee
Changes the age range of students eligible to receive institutional vouchers for ASDB from the ages of three to 22 to the ages of three and 21.
Amendments Adopted by House of Representatives
1. Stipulates that for purposes of determining the special education services to private school pupils under existing federal law, the State is required to consider the term to include “home schooled” pupils. Clarifies the term “special education.”
2. Provides for a general fund offset in the ASDB budget for increases related to the special education voucher funding (established in the Department of Education’s budget and then transferred to the ASDB’s budget).
Amendments Adopted by Conference Committee
Stipulates that if federal monies are provided to a school district or a charter school for special education services to home schooled or private schooled pupils, the school district or charter school is required to provide these special education services to both the home schooled pupils and the private schooled pupils in the same manner.
Senate Action House
Action
ED 2/22/01 DPA 8-0-0-0 ED 4/2/01 DP 8-1-1-0
APPROP 3/6/01 DPA 10-0-2-0 APPROP 4/18/01 DPA 8-5-0-3
3rd Read 3/15/01 28-1-1-0 3rd Read 4/26/01 41-15-4-0
Final Read 5/2/01 39-17-4-0
Signed by Governor 5/7/01
Chapter 364
Prepared by Senate Staff
May 25, 2001