§ 1413. Local educational agency eligibility
(a)
In general
A local educational agency is eligible for assistance under this subchapter for a fiscal year if such agency submits a plan that provides assurances to the State educational agency that the local educational agency meets each of the following conditions:
(1)
Consistency with State policies
The local educational agency, in providing for the education of children with disabilities within its jurisdiction, has in effect policies, procedures, and programs that are consistent with the State policies and procedures established under section
1412 of this title.
(2)
Use of amounts
(A)
In general
Amounts provided to the local educational agency under this subchapter shall be expended in accordance with the applicable provisions of this subchapter and—
(i)
shall be used only to pay the excess costs of providing special education and related services to children with disabilities;
(B)
Exception
Notwithstanding the restriction in subparagraph (A)(iii), a local educational agency may reduce the level of expenditures where such reduction is attributable to—
(i)
the voluntary departure, by retirement or otherwise, or departure for just cause, of special education personnel;
(iii)
the termination of the obligation of the agency, consistent with this subchapter, to provide a program of special education to a particular child with a disability that is an exceptionally costly program, as determined by the State educational agency, because the child—
(C)
Adjustment to local fiscal effort in certain fiscal years
(i)
Amounts in excess
Notwithstanding clauses (ii) and (iii) of subparagraph (A), for any fiscal year for which the allocation received by a local educational agency under section
1411
(f) of this title exceeds the amount the local educational agency received for the previous fiscal year, the local educational agency may reduce the level of expenditures otherwise required by subparagraph (A)(iii) by not more than 50 percent of the amount of such excess.
(ii)
Use of amounts to carry out activities under ESEA
If a local educational agency exercises the authority under clause (i), the agency shall use an amount of local funds equal to the reduction in expenditures under clause (i) to carry out activities authorized under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 [20 U.S.C. 6301 et seq.].
(iii)
State prohibition
Notwithstanding clause (i), if a State educational agency determines that a local educational agency is unable to establish and maintain programs of free appropriate public education that meet the requirements of subsection (a) or the State educational agency has taken action against the local educational agency under section
1416 of this title, the State educational agency shall prohibit the local educational agency from reducing the level of expenditures under clause (i) for that fiscal year.
(D)
Schoolwide programs under title I of the ESEA
Notwithstanding subparagraph (A) or any other provision of this subchapter, a local educational agency may use funds received under this subchapter for any fiscal year to carry out a schoolwide program under section 1114 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 [20 U.S.C. 6314], except that the amount so used in any such program shall not exceed—
(4)
Permissive use of funds
(A)
Uses
Notwithstanding paragraph (2)(A) or section
1412
(a)(17)(B) of this title (relating to commingled funds), funds provided to the local educational agency under this subchapter may be used for the following activities:
(i)
Services and aids that also benefit nondisabled children
For the costs of special education and related services, and supplementary aids and services, provided in a regular class or other education-related setting to a child with a disability in accordance with the individualized education program of the child, even if 1 or more nondisabled children benefit from such services.
(ii)
Early intervening services
To develop and implement coordinated, early intervening educational services in accordance with subsection (f).
(iii)
High cost education and related services
To establish and implement cost or risk sharing funds, consortia, or cooperatives for the local educational agency itself, or for local educational agencies working in a consortium of which the local educational agency is a part, to pay for high cost special education and related services.
(B)
Administrative case management
A local educational agency may use funds received under this subchapter to purchase appropriate technology for recordkeeping, data collection, and related case management activities of teachers and related services personnel providing services described in the individualized education program of children with disabilities, that is needed for the implementation of such case management activities.
(5)
Treatment of charter schools and their students
In carrying out this subchapter with respect to charter schools that are public schools of the local educational agency, the local educational agency—
(A)
serves children with disabilities attending those charter schools in the same manner as the local educational agency serves children with disabilities in its other schools, including providing supplementary and related services on site at the charter school to the same extent to which the local educational agency has a policy or practice of providing such services on the site to its other public schools; and
(6)
Purchase of instructional materials
(A)
In general
Not later than 2 years after December 3, 2004, a local educational agency that chooses to coordinate with the National Instructional Materials Access Center, when purchasing print instructional materials, shall acquire the print instructional materials in the same manner and subject to the same conditions as a State educational agency acquires print instructional materials under section
1412
(a)(23) of this title.
(B)
Rights of local educational agency
Nothing in this paragraph shall be construed to require a local educational agency to coordinate with the National Instructional Materials Access Center. If a local educational agency chooses not to coordinate with the National Instructional Materials Access Center, the local educational agency shall provide an assurance to the State educational agency that the local educational agency will provide instructional materials to blind persons or other persons with print disabilities in a timely manner.
(7)
Information for State educational agency
The local educational agency shall provide the State educational agency with information necessary to enable the State educational agency to carry out its duties under this subchapter, including, with respect to paragraphs (15) and (16) of section
1412
(a) of this title, information relating to the performance of children with disabilities participating in programs carried out under this subchapter.
(8)
Public information
The local educational agency shall make available to parents of children with disabilities and to the general public all documents relating to the eligibility of such agency under this subchapter.
(9)
Records regarding migratory children with disabilities
The local educational agency shall cooperate in the Secretary’s efforts under section 1308 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 [20 U.S.C. 6398] to ensure the linkage of records pertaining to migratory children with a disability for the purpose of electronically exchanging, among the States, health and educational information regarding such children.
(b)
Exception for prior local plans
(1)
In general
If a local educational agency or State agency has on file with the State educational agency policies and procedures that demonstrate that such local educational agency, or such State agency, as the case may be, meets any requirement of subsection (a), including any policies and procedures filed under this subchapter as in effect before the effective date of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004, the State educational agency shall consider such local educational agency or State agency, as the case may be, to have met such requirement for purposes of receiving assistance under this subchapter.
(2)
Modification made by local educational agency
Subject to paragraph (3), an application submitted by a local educational agency in accordance with this section shall remain in effect until the local educational agency submits to the State educational agency such modifications as the local educational agency determines necessary.
(3)
Modifications required by State educational agency
If, after the effective date of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004, the provisions of this chapter are amended (or the regulations developed to carry out this chapter are amended), there is a new interpretation of this chapter by Federal or State courts, or there is an official finding of noncompliance with Federal or State law or regulations, then the State educational agency may require a local educational agency to modify its application only to the extent necessary to ensure the local educational agency’s compliance with this subchapter or State law.
(c)
Notification of local educational agency or State agency in case of ineligibility
If the State educational agency determines that a local educational agency or State agency is not eligible under this section, then the State educational agency shall notify the local educational agency or State agency, as the case may be, of that determination and shall provide such local educational agency or State agency with reasonable notice and an opportunity for a hearing.
(d)
Local educational agency compliance
(1)
In general
If the State educational agency, after reasonable notice and an opportunity for a hearing, finds that a local educational agency or State agency that has been determined to be eligible under this section is failing to comply with any requirement described in subsection (a), the State educational agency shall reduce or shall not provide any further payments to the local educational agency or State agency until the State educational agency is satisfied that the local educational agency or State agency, as the case may be, is complying with that requirement.
(2)
Additional requirement
Any State agency or local educational agency in receipt of a notice described in paragraph (1) shall, by means of public notice, take such measures as may be necessary to bring the pendency of an action pursuant to this subsection to the attention of the public within the jurisdiction of such agency.
(3)
Consideration
In carrying out its responsibilities under paragraph (1), the State educational agency shall consider any decision made in a hearing held under section
1415 of this title that is adverse to the local educational agency or State agency involved in that decision.
(e)
Joint establishment of eligibility
(1)
Joint establishment
(A)
In general
A State educational agency may require a local educational agency to establish its eligibility jointly with another local educational agency if the State educational agency determines that the local educational agency will be ineligible under this section because the local educational agency will not be able to establish and maintain programs of sufficient size and scope to effectively meet the needs of children with disabilities.
(2)
Amount of payments
If a State educational agency requires the joint establishment of eligibility under paragraph (1), the total amount of funds made available to the affected local educational agencies shall be equal to the sum of the payments that each such local educational agency would have received under section
1411
(f) of this title if such agencies were eligible for such payments.
(3)
Requirements
Local educational agencies that establish joint eligibility under this subsection shall—
(4)
Requirements for educational service agencies
(A)
In general
If an educational service agency is required by State law to carry out programs under this subchapter, the joint responsibilities given to local educational agencies under this subsection shall—
(f)
Early intervening services
(1)
In general
A local educational agency may not use more than 15 percent of the amount such agency receives under this subchapter for any fiscal year, less any amount reduced by the agency pursuant to subsection (a)(2)(C), if any, in combination with other amounts (which may include amounts other than education funds), to develop and implement coordinated, early intervening services, which may include interagency financing structures, for students in kindergarten through grade 12 (with a particular emphasis on students in kindergarten through grade 3) who have not been identified as needing special education or related services but who need additional academic and behavioral support to succeed in a general education environment.
(2)
Activities
In implementing coordinated, early intervening services under this subsection, a local educational agency may carry out activities that include—
(A)
professional development (which may be provided by entities other than local educational agencies) for teachers and other school staff to enable such personnel to deliver scientifically based academic instruction and behavioral interventions, including scientifically based literacy instruction, and, where appropriate, instruction on the use of adaptive and instructional software; and
(3)
Construction
Nothing in this subsection shall be construed to limit or create a right to a free appropriate public education under this subchapter.
(4)
Reporting
Each local educational agency that develops and maintains coordinated, early intervening services under this subsection shall annually report to the State educational agency on—
(5)
Coordination with Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965
Funds made available to carry out this subsection may be used to carry out coordinated, early intervening services aligned with activities funded by, and carried out under, the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 [20 U.S.C. 6301 et seq.] if such funds are used to supplement, and not supplant, funds made available under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 for the activities and services assisted under this subsection.
(g)
Direct services by the State educational agency
(1)
In general
A State educational agency shall use the payments that would otherwise have been available to a local educational agency or to a State agency to provide special education and related services directly to children with disabilities residing in the area served by that local educational agency, or for whom that State agency is responsible, if the State educational agency determines that the local educational agency or State agency, as the case may be—
(A)
has not provided the information needed to establish the eligibility of such local educational agency or State agency under this section;
(B)
is unable to establish and maintain programs of free appropriate public education that meet the requirements of subsection (a);
(2)
Manner and location of education and services
The State educational agency may provide special education and related services under paragraph (1) in such manner and at such locations (including regional or State centers) as the State educational agency considers appropriate. Such education and services shall be provided in accordance with this subchapter.
(h)
State agency eligibility
Any State agency that desires to receive a subgrant for any fiscal year under section
1411
(f) of this title shall demonstrate to the satisfaction of the State educational agency that—
(i)
Disciplinary information
The State may require that a local educational agency include in the records of a child with a disability a statement of any current or previous disciplinary action that has been taken against the child and transmit such statement to the same extent that such disciplinary information is included in, and transmitted with, the student records of nondisabled children. The statement may include a description of any behavior engaged in by the child that required disciplinary action, a description of the disciplinary action taken, and any other information that is relevant to the safety of the child and other individuals involved with the child. If the State adopts such a policy, and the child transfers from 1 school to another, the transmission of any of the child’s records shall include both the child’s current individualized education program and any such statement of current or previous disciplinary action that has been taken against the child.
(j)
State agency flexibility
(1)
Adjustment to State fiscal effort in certain fiscal years
For any fiscal year for which the allotment received by a State under section
1411 of this title exceeds the amount the State received for the previous fiscal year and if the State in school year 2003–2004 or any subsequent school year pays or reimburses all local educational agencies within the State from State revenue 100 percent of the non-Federal share of the costs of special education and related services, the State educational agency, notwithstanding paragraphs (17) and (18) of section
1412
(a) of this title and section
1412
(b) of this title, may reduce the level of expenditures from State sources for the education of children with disabilities by not more than 50 percent of the amount of such excess.
(2)
Prohibition
Notwithstanding paragraph (1), if the Secretary determines that a State educational agency is unable to establish, maintain, or oversee programs of free appropriate public education that meet the requirements of this subchapter, or that the State needs assistance, intervention, or substantial intervention under section
1416
(d)(2)(A) of this title, the Secretary shall prohibit the State educational agency from exercising the authority in paragraph (1).
(3)
Education activities
If a State educational agency exercises the authority under paragraph (1), the agency shall use funds from State sources, in an amount equal to the amount of the reduction under paragraph (1), to support activities authorized under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 [20 U.S.C. 6301 et seq.] or to support need based student or teacher higher education programs.
(4)
Report
For each fiscal year for which a State educational agency exercises the authority under paragraph (1), the State educational agency shall report to the Secretary the amount of expenditures reduced pursuant to such paragraph and the activities that were funded pursuant to paragraph (3).
(5)
Limitation
Notwithstanding paragraph (1), a State educational agency may not reduce the level of expenditures described in paragraph (1) if any local educational agency in the State would, as a result of such reduction, receive less than 100 percent of the amount necessary to ensure that all children with disabilities served by the local educational agency receive a free appropriate public education from the combination of Federal funds received under this chapter and State funds received from the State educational agency.