Payment for Educational Services Provided to DCF-placed Children Connecticut Association of School Business Officials January 7, 2005

Department of Children and Families (DCF) Statutory authority to place children out-of-home. Placement locations include: Foster Homes, Group Homes, Temporary Shelters, Safe Homes, and Residential Facilities.

Site of Educational Services Foster Homes, Group Homes, Temporary Shelters, and Safe Homes: PUBLIC SCHOOL, unless Planning and Placement Team (PPT) determines child’s special education needs require a more restrictive setting.PUBLIC SCHOOL, unless Planning and Placement Team (PPT) determines child’s special education needs require a more restrictive setting. If necessary, RESC program or Private Special Education Program.If necessary, RESC program or Private Special Education Program.

Site of Educational Services Residential Facilities School within the residential facility UNLESS treatment needs permit other options. If permitted, PUBLIC SCHOOL, unless Planning and Placement Team (PPT) determines child’s special education needs require a more restrictive setting. If necessary, RESC program or Private Special Education Program.

Provision of Education Services The child’s RESPONSIBLE LEA: 1. Plans the education program, 2. Ensures appropriate services are available to the child, and 3. Funds the education program.

Determining the child’s RESPONSIBLE LEA: 1. Eligible for special education services? 2. Nexus status OR No-nexus status? 3. Classification of DCF-placement site?

Individualized Education Program (IEP) If child is eligible for special education, an education plan (i.e., IEP) is developed to meet that child’s particular education needs. Written on State-approved forms. Lists all special education services, regular education services, related services, and support services that the child must receive.

Individualized Education Program (IEP) RELATED SERVICES may include speech language therapy, counseling, physical therapy, etc. SUPPORT SERVICES may include teacher’s assistant, behavioral specialist, etc.

NEXUS Child is considered to have “nexus” status if: 1.At least one parent resides in a Connecticut town, AND 2.That parent’s “parental rights” have not been “terminated” by a court.

NO-NEXUS Child is considered to have “no-nexus” status if at least one is applicable to each of the child’s parents: 1.Parental rights terminated (TPR); or 2.Deceased; or 3.Whereabouts unknown; or 4.Resides outside Connecticut; or 5.Patient in treatment facility and no Connecticut residence; or 6.Inmate in correction facility and no Connecticut residence.

Foster Home - or - Group Home 1. Child is eligible for “special education” and has NEXUS: Nexus LEA plans and funds IEP services; Placement LEA provides services unless child requires other placement.

Foster Home - or - Group Home 2. Child is eligible for “special education” and has NO-NEXUS: Placement LEA plans, funds and provides services.

Foster Home - or - Group Home 3. Child is “regular education” → i.e., child is NOT eligible for special education Placement LEA plans, funds and provides services.

Temporary Shelter – or – Safe Home 1. Child has NEXUS Nexus LEA may either:  Transport child to Nexus LEA, OR  Pay tuition to Placement LEA for services. If child is eligible for special education, planning by PPT of Nexus LEA. If IEP requires out-of-district program, the Nexus LEA must continue to fund that placement.

Temporary Shelter – or – Safe Home 2. Child has NO-NEXUS Placement LEA plans, funds and provides services. If child is eligible for special education, planning by PPT of Placement LEA.

Private Residential Facility 1. Child has NEXUS: Nexus LEA plans and funds education services. State-calculated rate is all-inclusive. Connecticut facility: rates posted on SDE website. Out-of-state facility: DCF sends rate letter to facility.

2. Child has NO-NEXUS: 2. Child has NO-NEXUS: Unified School District #2 (USD II) plans and funds education services.Unified School District #2 (USD II) plans and funds education services. USD II is DCF-operated school district.USD II is DCF-operated school district.

DCF Residential Facility DCF-operated facilities: 1. CT Children’s Place 2. CT Juvenile Training School 3. High Meadows 4. Riverview Hospital Unified School District #2 (USD II) plans and funds education services within facility.

Calculating Tuition for Services Within LEA Special Education SDE “guidelines” memo (dated 12/6/93). IEP lists services that are eligible for tuition rate. Most services will be noted on page 5 of IEP. IEP services may include: special education instruction, regular education instruction, related services, support services, special equipment, special supplies.

Special Education Services Within LEA Setting for Services – as determined by PPT and noted on IEP: Self-contained Special Education Program for entire school day; or Self-contained Special Education Program for part of school day and General Education setting (“Regular Education”) for part of school day; or General Education setting for entire school day.

TUITION: Self-contained Special Education Program for entire school day 1.Calculate “basic services” costs for self-contained program: personnel costs, fringe benefits, instructional supplies, instructional equipment. 2.Divide by number of children in the program to calculate individual child cost. 3.Calculate cost of any related services and/or support services that are included in child’s IEP and are not included in “basic services.” 4.Calculate “direct services” cost by adding #2 and #3. 5.Calculate “indirect services” cost as 7% of #4. 6.Tuition rate = #4 + #5.

TUITION: Self-contained Special Education Program for part of school day, and General Education setting for part of school day 1.Calculate “basic services” costs for self-contained program: personnel costs, fringe benefits, instructional supplies, instructional equipment. 2.Divide by number of children in the program to calculate individual child cost. 3.Calculate percentage of school day that child participates in program. 4.Calculate cost of self-contained program for child by applying #3 percentage to #2. 5.Calculate cost of any related services and/or support services not included in “basic services.”

TUITION: Self-contained Special Education Program for part of school day, and General Education setting for part of school day 6.Calculate sub-total “direct services” cost by adding #4 and #5. 7.Calculate “indirect services” cost as 7% of #6. 8.Calculate percentage of day that child participates in general education. 9.Calculate cost of regular education for child by applying #8 to LEA “average per pupil expenditure.” 10.Tuition rate = #6 + #7 + #9.

TUITION: General Education setting for entire school day Child is special education 1.Calculate cost of any related services and/or support services that are included in child’s IEP. 2.Calculate “indirect services” cost as 7% of #1. 3.Tuition rate = #1 + #2 + LEA “average per pupil expenditure.”

TUITION: General Education setting for entire school day Child is regular education 1.Use “average per pupil expenditure” as tuition rate. 2.Education services in public school are “tuition eligible” if child is placed in temporary shelter or safe home placement. 3.Education services in public school are NOT “tuition eligible” if child is placed in foster home, group home, or residential facility.