Background
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Amendments of 1997 created a new funding formula for the Part B Sections 611 and 619 subgrants to Local Educational Agencies (LEAs). The Section 619 change took effect immediately; the Section 611 change was to take effect when the national IDEA appropriation exceeded $4,924,672,000. Fiscal Year (FY) 2000-01 was the first year the permanent funding formula was used to calculate funds for section 611.
Subsequently, as of 2000-01, California Department of Education (CDE) no longer calculates IDEA grants to the LEAs strictly on a per-pupil basis.
Funding Formula
The permanent formula requires a 3-component calculation for the total amount statewide, and then the development of each Special Education Local Plan Area (SELPA) grants the same way. These are not separate grants, but portions of a formula to calculate the full grant amounts. The three major data components of the formula for FY 2007-08 are:
- 1999 CASEMIS: California Special Education Management Information System - Base Amount: 1999 CASEMIS Special Education, ages 3-21
- 2006 CBEDS: California Basic Educational Data System - Population Amount: 2006 CBEDS, Public and Private School, K-12
- 2006 CalWorks Free & Reduced Meal: California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids, Free & Reduced Meal Count - Poverty Amount: 2006 CalWORKs Free and Reduced Meal Count, K-12
NOTE: Section 611 Base is always calculated on 1999 CASEMIS.
For Section 611, the California statewide base amount is $323,428,031. The statewide base amount will remain the same, even though the federal IDEA grants increase to California. The total amount allocated by the State Legislature for subgrants to LEAs for FY 2007-08 is $1,047,086,000.
IDEA does not assume separate SELPA grants, based on age and institutional settings; this is something that the California Budget Act establishes. To be in accordance with IDEA, the State must formulate a calculation that follows IDEA regulations. The grants to LEAs must first be calculated across all ages 3 through 21, to come up with a SELPA grant base amount. Then, because the California Budget Act requires the further breakout based on age and institutional groupings, each SELPA's subgrant is broken out into three separate program grants: Local Assistance Entitlements (PCA 13379), Preschool Local Entitlements (PCA 13682) and State Institutions (PCA 13008).
At the statewide level, the base amount per SELPA is calculated by dividing the statewide ages 3 through 21 (December 1, 1999 CASEMIS pupil count) into the statewide base amount, and then multiplying that rate times each SELPA's December 1999 CASEMIS pupil count. The resulting figures are each SELPA's base amount, which will stay fixed and used in subsequent years. The base amount will not be adjusted each year nor will it be updated with the most recent pupil count. The base is a fixed amount, not a per pupil rate.
The remaining amount allocated statewide will be calculated in accordance with IDEA, with 85 percent based on the relative numbers of children enrolled in public and private elementary and secondary schools within the agency's jurisdiction (called the population portion of the formula), and 15 percent on the basis of relative numbers of children living in poverty. As mentioned above, the California Basic Educational Data System (CBEDS) data is used for the population amount and the CalWORKs data is used for the poverty numbers, using free and reduced price meal participation as the indicator of poverty. The 85 percent of the remaining funds allocated on enrollment is based on each SELPA's most recent CBEDs count (December 2006) compared to the statewide count, arriving at a percentage for each SELPA. The 15 percent of the remaining funds allocated on poverty is based on each SELPA's most recent CalWORKS count (December 2006), compared to the statewide amount, arriving at a percentage for each SELPA.
Each SELPA's total grant is then allocated based on the age and institutional groupings identified in the State Budget Act. Each SELPA's total grant is divided proportionately based on the percentage of 3, 4 and 5 year old preschoolers compared to the total December pupil count, and the percentage of the 5 through 21 nonpreschoolers.
Per Section 300.712 of Title 34 of the Code of Federal Regulations, adjustments in the SELPA base amount will be necessary if a new SELPA is created, if one or more SELPAs are combined, or if SELPA geographic or administrative boundaries change. According to AB 602 (Chapter 854, Statutes of 1997), SELPA changes cannot occur until equalization is achieved. At that time, though, any proposed changes to local plans that affect SELPA configuration will have to address the re-allocation of the base amounts.
The full amount currently allocated for state fiscal year 2007-08, $1,047,086,000, by the California Legislature for IDEA Part B, Section 611 [Item 6110-161-0890, Schedules (1), (2) and (3)] is comprised of the following IDEA formula amounts:
IDEA Formula Chart
| State Total Legislative Approved Allocated Award: | $ 1,047,086,000 |
| Federal Allocation: CA Base Amount: | $ 323,428,031 |
| Remaining Amount to be allocated: | $ 723,657,969 |
85% Population Amount: |
$ 615,109,274 |
15% Poverty Amount: |
$ 108,548,695 |
There are three separate schedules in the 2007-08 State Budget Act for the allocation of IDEA, Part B, Section 611 subgrants to LEAs. However, the amounts allocated in the State Budget are not in alignment with the amounts required by IDEA’s Federal Formula. The affected schedules are
IDEA, Section 611 Subgrants
| Grant Title Index Codes/PCA |
Schedule and Line Item | Federal Formula Amount | State Budget Act Authority |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local Assistance Entitlements 0663-13379 |
Schedule (1): ages 5 through 21, non preschool (not SOP) 6110-161-0890 | $981,827,291 | $982,606,000 |
| State Institutions 0663-13008 | Schedule (2): state operated programs (SOP) 6110-161-0890 | $1,821,315 | $1,827,000 |
| Preschool Local Entitlement 0663-13682 | Schedule (3): ages 3 and 4, and only 5 year old preschool (not SOP) 6110-161-0890 | $63,437,394 | $62,653,000 |
| TOTALS | $1,047,086,000 | $1,047,086,000 |
IMPORTANT: Annually, the Special Education Division submits a Budget Revision (BR)/Section 26 to the Department of Finance and Legislature to realign the authority level for Schedules (1-3) of Item 6110-161-0890 in accordance with the federal formula requirements. Once the BR is approved, CDE will re-issue 2007-08 IDEA 611, Preschool Local Entitlement Grant Awards (Schedule 3) at the full Federal Formula Funding level.
