56432
. (a) For the 1998-99 fiscal year and each fiscal year
thereafter, a special education local plan area shall be eligible for
state funding of those instructional personnel service units
operated and fundable for services to individuals with exceptional
needs younger than three years of age at the second principal
apportionment of the prior fiscal year, as long as the pupil count of
these pupils divided by the number of instructional personnel
service units is not less than the following:
(1) For special classes and centers--12, based on the unduplicated
pupil count.
(2) For resource specialist programs--24, based on the
unduplicated pupil count.
(3) For designated instruction and services--12, based on the
unduplicated pupil count, or 39, based on the duplicated pupil count.
(b) A special education local plan area shall be eligible for
state funding of instructional personnel service units for services
to individuals with exceptional needs younger than three years of age
in excess of the number of instructional personnel service units
operated and fundable at the second principal apportionment of the
prior fiscal year only with the authorization of the superintendent.
(c) The superintendent shall base the authorization of funding for
special education local plan areas pursuant to this section,
including the reallocation of instructional personnel service units,
upon criteria that shall include, but not be limited to, the
following:
(1) Changes in the total number of pupils younger than three years
of age enrolled in special education programs.
(2) High- and low-average caseloads per instructional personnel
service unit for each instructional setting.
(d) Infant programs in special classes and centers funded pursuant
to this item shall be supported by two aides, unless otherwise
required by the superintendent.
(e) Infant services in resource specialist programs funded
pursuant to this item shall be supported by one aide.
(f) When units are allocated pursuant to this subdivision, the
superintendent shall allocate only the least expensive unit
appropriate.
(g) Notwithstanding Sections 56211 and 56212, a special education
local plan area may apply for, and the superintendent may grant, a
waiver of any of the standards and criteria specified in this section
if compliance would prevent the provision of a free, appropriate
public education or would create undue hardship. In granting the
waivers, the superintendent shall give priority to the following
factors:
(1) Applications from special education local plan areas for
waivers for a period not to exceed three years to specifically
maintain or increase the level of special education services
necessary to address the special education service requirements of
individuals with exceptional needs residing in sparsely populated
districts or attending isolated schools designated in the
application.
(A) Sparsely populated districts are school districts that meet
one of the following conditions:
(i) A school district or combination of contiguous school
districts in which the total enrollment is less than 600 pupils,
kindergarten and grades 1 to 12, inclusive, and in which one or more
of the school facilities is an isolated school.
(ii) A school district or combination of contiguous school
districts in which the total pupil density ratio is less than 15
pupils, kindergarten and grades 1 to 12, inclusive, per square mile
and in which one or more of the school facilities is an isolated
school.
(B) Isolated schools are schools with enrollments of less than 600
pupils, kindergarten and grades 1 to 12, inclusive, that meet one or
more of the following conditions:
(i) The school is located more than 45 minutes average driving
time over commonly used and well-traveled roads from the nearest
school, including schools in adjacent special education local plan
areas, with an enrollment greater than 600 pupils, kindergarten and
grades 1 to 12, inclusive.
(ii) The school is separated, by roads that are impassable for
extended periods of time due to inclement weather, from the nearest
school, including schools in adjacent special education local plan
areas, with an enrollment greater than 600 pupils, kindergarten and
grades 1 to 12, inclusive.
(iii) The school is of a size and location that, when its
enrollment is combined with the enrollments of the two largest
schools within an average driving time of not more than 30 minutes
over commonly used and well-traveled roads, including schools in
adjacent special education local plan areas, the combined enrollment
is less than 600 pupils, kindergarten and grades 1 to 12, inclusive.
(iv) The school is the one of normal attendance for a severely
disabled individual, as defined in Section 56030.5, or an individual
with a low-incidence disability, as defined in Section 56026.5, who
otherwise would be required to be transported more than 75 minutes,
average one-way driving time over commonly used and well-traveled
roads, to the nearest appropriate program.
(2) The location of licensed children's institutions, foster
family homes, residential medical facilities, or similar facilities
that serve children younger than three years of age and are within
the boundaries of a local plan if 3 percent or more of the local plan'
s unduplicated pupil count resides in those facilities.
(h) By authorizing units pursuant to this section, the
superintendent shall not increase the statewide total number of
instructional personnel service units for purposes of state
apportionments unless an appropriation specifically for growth in the
number of instructional personnel service units is made in the
annual Budget Act or other legislation. If that growth appropriation
is made, units authorized by the superintendent pursuant to this
section are subject to the restrictions that the units shall be
funded only by that growth appropriation and no other funds may be
apportioned for the units.
(i) The superintendent shall monitor the use of instructional
personnel service units retained or authorized by the granting of
waivers pursuant to subdivision (h) to ensure that the instructional
personnel service units are used in a manner wholly consistent with
the basis for the waiver request.
(j) This section shall become operative on July 1, 1998.