115.817
115.817
Children with disabilities education board. 115.817(1)(1)
Definitions. In this section "board" means the county children with disabilities education board.
115.817(2)(a)(a) A county board of supervisors may determine to establish a special education program, including the provision of related services for children with disabilities, for school districts in the county.
115.817(2)(b)
(b) The program may provide for one or more special schools, classes, treatment or instruction centers for children with one or more types of disabilities.
115.817(2)(c)
(c) A school district shall be included under the county program only to the extent approved by formal action of the school board.
115.817(3)(a)(a) The board shall consist of 3 or more persons, as determined by the county board of supervisors, elected by the county board or appointed by the chairperson of the county board, as the rules of the county board direct. Board members shall be electors selected from that part of the county participating in the program and shall be representative of the area the board serves. The board may include school board members, members of the county board of supervisors and other electors. Board members shall hold office for a term of 3 years, except that the terms of office of members of the first board shall be 3 years, 2 years and one year. Board members shall receive compensation and reimbursement for mileage in an amount fixed by the county board of supervisors, but not more than that of county board members.
115.817(3)(b)
(b) The board annually shall select one member as chairperson and one as secretary. The county treasurer shall serve as board treasurer but shall not be a member of the board.
115.817(3)(c)
(c) The board shall appoint an advisory committee whose membership includes school district administrators representative of the area the board serves.
115.817(4)
(4) Application. Upon authorization of the county board, the board shall apply to the division for the establishment of a program or part of a program to provide special education and related services. The application shall state whether the program or part will be available in the county at large or only to certain school districts.
115.817(5)(a)(a) The board shall have charge of all matters pertaining to the organization, equipment, operation and maintenance of such programs and may do all things necessary to perform its functions, including the authority to erect buildings subject to county board approval and employ teachers and other personnel. The board shall prepare an annual budget, which shall be subject to approval of the county board under
s. 65.90 unless a resolution is adopted under
sub. (9) (c), and shall include funds for the hiring of staff, the purchase of materials, supplies and equipment and the operation and maintenance of buildings or classrooms.
115.817(5)(b)1.1. At the close of each fiscal year, the board shall employ a certified public accountant licensed or certified under
ch. 442 to audit its accounts and certify the audit. The cost of the audit shall be paid from board funds.
115.817(5)(b)3.
3. The department shall establish by rule a standard contract and minimum standards for audits performed under this paragraph.
115.817(5)(c)
(c) If the county board of supervisors establishes an initiative to provide coordinated services under
s. 59.53 (7), the county children with disabilities education board shall participate in the initiative, and may enter into written interagency agreements or contracts under the initiative.
115.817(5)(d)
(d) Annually by October 1, the board and the school boards of the school districts participating in the county program shall submit a report to the state superintendent that specifies the portion of each school day that each pupil enrolled in the county program who is also enrolled in the school district of the pupil's residence spent in county program classes in the previous school year and the portion of the school day that the pupil spent in school district classes in the previous school year. The state superintendent shall develop guidelines for a full-time equivalency methodology. The state superintendent is not required to promulgate the guidelines as rules.
115.817(6)(a)(a) The board may not assign by resolution or by contract the full administrative or instructional services of the board.
115.817(6)(b)
(b) The ability of the board to contract with the board of control of a cooperative educational service agency, a school board or other public agency in the county for a portion of administrative or instructional services is not prohibited by
par. (a). The board shall be responsible for all programs contracted under this paragraph.
115.817(7)(a)(a) The school board of any school district that is included under the administration of a board may withdraw from participation in any part of the program only with the approval of the state superintendent after conference with the board and a determination by the state superintendent that such withdrawal is in the interest of the program in the county and the school district affected. Such withdrawal shall be effective only if the school board has the approval of the division to establish an equivalent part of a program. Such withdrawal shall be effective either December 31 or June 30 provided that 12 months' notice has been given to the board. The withdrawing school district shall be liable for its proportionate share of all operating costs until its withdrawal becomes effective, shall continue to be liable for its share of debt incurred while it was a participant and shall receive no share in the assets.
115.817(7)(b)
(b) A program established under this section may be dissolved by action of the county board, but such dissolution shall not take place until the end of the school term in which the action was taken. When a program is dissolved, assets and liabilities shall be distributed under
s. 66.0235 to all units which participated in the program, except as provided in
sub. (9m).
115.817(8)
(8) Transportation. The board may promulgate a plan for the transportation at county expense of children who are receiving special education and related services under this section, special education and related services provided at child care centers, or special education and related services provided by a private organization within whose attendance area the child resides and which is situated not more than 5 miles beyond the boundaries of the area the board serves, as measured along the usually traveled route. The plan, upon approval of the state superintendent, shall govern the transportation of such children. Any such plan for transportation during the school term supersedes
ss. 115.88 and
121.54 (3).
115.817(9)(a)(a) The tax for the operation and maintenance of each part of a special education program and for the transportation of children under
sub. (8) shall be levied against the area of the county participating in the part of the program. The tax for the costs associated with the dissolution of the program operated by the Racine County children with disabilities education board that are specified under
sub. (9m) shall continue to be levied only against the area of Racine County that participated in the program before its dissolution.
115.817(9)(b)
(b) Beginning July 1, 1981, no board, except a board that has constructed or acquired building facilities, may continue to operate under this section if the area taxed under
par. (a) constitutes less than 50% of the full value of taxable property within the county.
115.817(9)(c)
(c) Upon the adoption of a resolution by a majority of the school boards that are located in whole or in part in the county and are participating in the county program under
sub. (2) (c), this subsection shall not apply commencing on the effective date of the resolution. A resolution adopted under this paragraph between January 1 and June 30 in any year shall be effective on January 1 of the year commencing after its adoption. A resolution adopted under this paragraph between July 1 and December 31 in any year shall be effective on January 1 of the 2nd year commencing after its adoption. In the year in which the resolution is effective, the county budget under
s. 59.60 or
65.90 shall include a line item for the special education program.
115.817(9m)
(9m) Racine County. If the program operated by the Racine County children with disabilities education board is dissolved by the Racine County board of supervisors under
sub. (7) (b), all assets and liabilities shall be distributed as provided under
sub. (7) (b), except that Racine County shall continue to be responsible for paying the costs associated with the postretirement health benefits of former employees of the Racine County children with disabilities education board and the costs incurred under
s. 40.05 (2) (b) before dissolution for the unfunded prior service liability for former employees of the Racine County children with disabilities education board.
115.817(10)(a)(a) The board may apply for and receive the state aid under
s. 115.88 for the transportation, board and lodging, treatment, and instruction of children participating in programs under this section.
115.817(10)(b)
(b) The board may apply for and receive the state aid under
ss. 121.135 and
121.14. This paragraph does not apply beginning on the effective date of a resolution adopted under
sub. (9) (c).
115.817(10)(c)
(c) All state aid shall be paid to the county treasurer and credited to the fund of the board.
115.817(11)
(11) Violations. The state superintendent shall withhold aid from any board that violates this section.
115.82
115.82
Admission and transportation of nonresidents. 115.82(1)(1) A cooperative educational service agency, county children with disabilities education board or school district that provides special education and related services shall admit a nonresident if the program is appropriate for the child's disability. Refusal to admit a child does not relieve the local educational agency that is responsible for providing a free, appropriate public education to the child under this subchapter from that responsibility.
115.82(2)
(2) In addition to the requirements of
s. 121.54 (3), when board and lodging are not furnished to a nonresident child with a disability, the school district in which the child resides shall provide transportation, except as follows:
115.82(2)(a)
(a) If there is a plan of transportation under
s. 115.817 (8), the county children with disabilities education board shall provide transportation.
115.82(2)(b)
(b) If the child is attending a public school in a nonresident school district under
s. 118.51 or
121.84 (1) (a) or
(4), the nonresident school district shall provide transportation.
115.82 History
History: 1997 a. 164;
1999 a. 117.
115.88(1)(1)
Personnel. A school board, board of control of a cooperative educational service agency or, upon authorization of the county board, a county children with disabilities education board may employ, for a special education program, either full- or part-time licensed teachers, licensed coordinators of special education, school nurses, licensed school social workers, licensed school psychologists, licensed school counselors, paraprofessionals, licensed consulting teachers to work with any teacher of regular education programs who has a child with a disability in a class and any other personnel approved by the department. The board may contract with private or public agencies for physical or occupational therapy services on the basis of demonstrated need. A school board may contract with a charter school to provide special education services to pupils attending the charter school if the charter school is under contract with the school board under
s. 118.40 (2m) and the charter school is not an instrumentality of the school district.
115.88(1m)(a)(a) Subject to
par. (b), upon receipt of the plan under
s. 115.77 (4), if the state superintendent is satisfied that the special education program has been maintained during the preceding school year in accordance with law, the state superintendent shall certify to the department of administration in favor of each county, cooperative educational service agency, and school district maintaining such special education program a sum equal to the amount expended by the county, agency, and school district during the preceding year for salaries of personnel enumerated in
sub. (1), the salary portion of any authorized contract for physical or occupational therapy services; the salary portion of any contract to provide special education services to pupils attending a charter school, as authorized under
sub. (1); and other expenses approved by the state superintendent, as costs eligible for reimbursement from the appropriation under
s. 20.255 (2) (b).
115.88(1m)(am)
(am) Subject to
par. (b), if the operator of a charter school established under
s. 118.40 (2r) operates a special education program and the state superintendent is satisfied that the operator of the charter school is complying with
20 USC 1400 to
1491o, the state superintendent shall certify to the department of administration in favor of the operator of the charter school a sum equal to the amount that the operator of the charter school expended during the previous school year for salaries of full-time or part-time licensed teachers, licensed coordinators of special education, school nurses, licensed school social workers, licensed school psychologists, licensed school counselors, paraprofessionals, licensed consulting teachers to work with any teacher of regular education programs who has a child with a disability in a class and any other personnel, as determined by the state superintendent, as costs eligible for reimbursement from the appropriation under
s. 20.255 (2) (b). The state superintendent may audit costs under this paragraph and adjust reimbursement to cover only actual, eligible costs.
115.88(1m)(b)
(b) The department shall promulgate rules establishing the percentage of the salaries of school nurses, licensed school social workers, licensed school psychologists, and licensed school counselors that may be certified under
pars. (a) and
(am) as costs eligible for reimbursement. For each category of personnel, the department shall base the percentage on the average percentage of work time that the category spends providing services to children with disabilities, including conducting evaluations under
s. 115.782.
115.88 Cross-reference
Cross-reference: See also PI 30, Wis. adm. code.
115.88(2)
(2) Transportation aid. If upon receipt of the plan under
s. 115.77 (4) the state superintendent is satisfied that the transportation of children with disabilities has been maintained during the preceding year in accordance with the law, the state superintendent shall certify to the department of administration in favor of each county, cooperative educational service agency, or school district transporting such pupils an amount equal to the amount expended for such transportation as costs eligible for reimbursement from the appropriation under
s. 20.255 (2) (b). Pupils for whom aid is paid under this subsection shall not be eligible for aid under
s. 121.58 (2) or
(4). This subsection applies to any child with a disability who requires special assistance in transportation, including any such child attending regular classes who requires special or additional transportation. This subsection does not apply to any child with a disability attending regular or special classes who does not require any special or additional transportation.
115.88(2m)
(2m) Other transportation aid. If the operator of a charter school established under
s. 118.40 (2r) or established as a noninstrumentality charter school under
s. 118.40 (2m) transports children with disabilities and the state superintendent is satisfied that the operator of the charter school is complying with
20 USC 1400 to
1491o, the state superintendent shall certify to the department of administration in favor of the operator of the charter school a sum equal to the amount that the operator of the charter school expended during the previous school year for transportation under this subsection as costs eligible for reimbursement from the appropriations under
s. 20.255 (2) (b). The state superintendent may audit costs under this subsection and adjust reimbursement to cover only actual, eligible costs.
115.88(3)
(3) Board and lodging aid. There shall be paid the amount expended for board and lodging and transportation between the boarding home and the special education program of nonresident children enrolled under
s. 115.82 (1) in the special education program. The department shall certify to the department of administration in favor of each school district, cooperative educational service agency, county children with disabilities education board, state agency of another state or private, nonsectarian special education service which operates the special education program while providing board, lodging and transportation an amount equal to the amount expended for such board and lodging and transportation as costs eligible for reimbursement from the appropriation under
s. 20.255 (2) (b).
115.88(4)
(4) Hospitals and convalescent home aid. The full cost of special education for children in hospitals and convalescent homes for orthopedically disabled children shall be paid from the appropriation under
s. 20.255 (2) (b). The supervision of such instruction shall be under the department and the school board of the school district in which the hospital or convalescent home is located. The school board of the district in which the hospital or convalescent home is located shall submit to the department an itemized statement of all revenues and expenditures for the actual cost of such instruction and any other information it requires.
115.88(6)
(6) Aid for instruction outside of district. The department shall certify to the department of administration, in favor of each school district, an amount equal to the amount expended for salaries and travel expenses, as determined in advance by the state superintendent, for providing special education outside the school district of employment, as eligible for reimbursement from the appropriation under
s. 20.255 (2) (b).
115.88(7)
(7) Offsetting receipts. In any school year, the following revenues shall be deducted from costs aidable under this section before aids are calculated under this section:
115.88(7)(a)
(a) Any federal operational revenues expended on costs aidable under this section.
115.88(7)(b)
(b) That portion of state tuition payments attributable to the special annual tuition rate under
s. 121.83 (1) (c), regardless of the school year in which the services were provided. The tuition revenues shall be allocated to the most appropriate part of a program.
115.88(8)
(8) Enrollment out of state. If a child with a disability is enrolled in a public special education program located in another state and the state superintendent is satisfied that the program in which the child is enrolled complies with this subchapter, the state superintendent shall certify to the department of administration in favor of the school district in which the child resides or the school district attended by the child under
s. 118.51 or
121.84 (1) (a) or
(4) a sum equal to the amount expended by the school district during the preceding year for the additional costs associated with the child's special education program as costs eligible for reimbursement from the appropriation under
s. 20.255 (2) (b).
115.88(9)
(9) Distribution schedule. Each county, cooperative educational service agency, operator of a charter school established under
s. 118.40 (2r) and school district entitled to state aid under this section shall receive 15% of its total aid entitlement in each month from November to March and 25% of its total entitlement in June.
115.881
115.881
Additional special education aid. 115.881(1)
(1) A school board, board of control of a cooperative educational service agency, county children with disabilities education board, or operator of a charter school established under
s. 118.40 (2r) may apply to the department for aid under this section if the applicant incurred, in the previous school year, more than $30,000 of nonadministrative costs for providing special education and related services to a child and those costs were not eligible for reimbursement under
s. 115.88,
115.93, or
118.255,
20 USC 1400 et seq., or federal medicaid.
115.881(2)
(2) For each child whose costs exceeded $30,000 under
sub. (1), the department shall, from the appropriation under
s. 20.255 (2) (bd), pay an eligible applicant in the current school year an amount equal to 0.90 multiplied by that portion of the cost under
sub. (1) that exceeded $30,000.
115.881(3)
(3) If the appropriation under
s. 20.255 (2) (bd) is insufficient to pay the full amount of costs under
sub. (2), the department shall prorate payments among eligible applicants.
115.881(4)
(4) A school district receiving aid under
s. 115.883 in any school year is not eligible for aid under this section in that school year.
115.881 History
History: 2005 a. 25;
2007 a. 20.
115.881 Cross-reference
Cross-reference: See also ch.
PI 30, Wis. adm. code.
115.882
115.882
Payment of state aid. Funds appropriated under
s. 20.255 (2) (b) shall be used first for the purpose of
s. 115.88 (4). Costs eligible for reimbursement from the appropriation under
s. 20.255 (2) (b) under
ss. 115.88 (1m) to
(3),
(6) and
(8),
115.93, and
118.255 (4) shall be reimbursed at a rate set to distribute the full amount appropriated for reimbursement for the costs, not to exceed 100%.
115.883
115.883
Supplemental special education aid. 115.883(1)(1) Beginning in the 2008-09 school year, from the appropriation under
s. 20.255 (2) (be), the department shall pay supplemental special education aid to school districts to which all of the following apply:
115.883(1)(a)
(a) In the previous school year, the school district's revenue authority per pupil under
subch. VII of ch. 121 was below the statewide average.
115.883(1)(b)
(b) In the previous school year, the school district's expenditures for special education constituted more than 16 percent of the school district's total expenditures.
115.883(1)(c)
(c) In the previous school year, the school district's membership, as defined in
s. 121.004 (5), was less than 2,000 pupils.
115.883(2)
(2) In the 2008-09 school year, the department shall pay each school district eligible for aid under this section the same amount. In each school year thereafter, the department shall distribute aid under this section to eligible school districts proportionally based upon each school district's expenditures for special education in the previous school year, except that in any school year a school district may receive not less than $50,000, and not more than $150,000 or an amount equal to 50 percent of the school district's expenditures for special education in the previous school year, whichever is less.
115.883(3)
(3) A school district receiving aid under
s. 115.881 in any school year is not eligible for aid under this section in that school year.
115.883 History
History: 2007 a. 20.
115.897
115.897
Exhaustion of remedies. Before the filing of a civil action under any federal law seeking any relief that is also available under this subchapter, the procedures under
s. 115.80 shall be exhausted to the same extent as would be required had the action been brought under this subchapter.
115.897 History
History: 1997 a. 164.
115.898 History
History: 1997 a. 164.
115.90
115.90
Noncompliance; remedies. 115.90(1)
(1) If, as the result of a monitoring procedure or a complaint investigation, the state superintendent finds that a local educational agency has violated this subchapter, the state superintendent may require the local educational agency to submit a corrective plan addressing the violation.
115.90(2)
(2) If the state superintendent, after reasonable notice and an opportunity for a hearing, finds that a local educational agency has failed to comply with any requirement in this subchapter, the state superintendent shall reduce or eliminate special education aid to the local educational agency until he or she is satisfied that the local educational agency is complying with that requirement.
115.90(3)
(3) If the state superintendent finds that a corrective plan under
sub. (1) has not been implemented, or that withholding aid under
sub. (2) has been inadequate to ensure compliance with this subchapter, the state superintendent shall request the attorney general to proceed against the local educational agency for injunctive or other appropriate relief.
115.90 History
History: 1997 a. 164.
EDUCATION FOR SCHOOL AGE PARENTS
