LRB-1119/P1
EAW:wlj
2023 - 2024 LEGISLATURE
DOA:......Kretschmann, BB0153 - High-cost special education aid
For 2023-2025 Budget -- Not Ready For Introduction
An Act ...; relating to: the budget.
Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
Education
Primary and secondary education
High-cost special education aid
This bill changes the rate at which the state reimburses school boards, operators of independent charter schools, cooperative educational service agencies, and county children with disabilities education boards for nonadministrative costs in excess of $30,000 incurred for providing special education and related costs to a child (aidable costs). Under current law, 90 percent of aidable costs are paid from a sum certain appropriation. If the amount of the appropriation is insufficient to pay the full 90 percent of aidable costs, DPI prorates payments among eligible applicants. For the 2022-23 school year, DPI estimates that the reimbursement rate is 39.5 percent of aidable costs under this aid program.
The bill changes the appropriation to a sum sufficient appropriation and provides that aidable costs are reimbursed at the following rates:
1. In the 2023-24 school year, 45 percent of aidable costs.
2. In the 2024-25 school year and in each school year thereafter, 60 percent of aidable costs.
For further information see the state and local fiscal estimate, which will be printed as an appendix to this bill.
The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do enact as follows:
Section
1. 20.255 (2) (bd) of the statutes is amended to read:
20.255 (2) (bd) Additional special education aid. The amounts in the schedule A sum sufficient for aid under s. 115.881.
****Note: This Section
involves a change in an appropriation that must be reflected in the revised schedule in s. 20.005, stats.
Section
2. 115.881 (2) of the statutes is renumbered 115.881 (2) (intro.) and amended to read:
115.881 (2) (intro.) 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 at the following rates:
(a) In the 2023-34 school year, 45 percent of the cost under sub. (1) that exceeded $30,000.
Section
3. 115.881 (2) (b) of the statutes is created to read:
115.881 (2) (b) In the 2024-25 school year and each school year thereafter, 60 percent of the cost under sub. (1) that exceeded $30,000.
Section
4. 115.881 (3) of the statutes is repealed.
(End)
