A new grant program may ease the financial strain on school districts trying to educate severely disabled students.
The “special education high-cost grant program” created by the Colorado legislature this year sets aside $2 million for high-needs students.
A district that spends more than $40,001 on a student above the funding already provided by state and federal sources is eligible to apply, officials said.
The grants are retroactive, meaning districts could apply to be reimbursed for money spent during the 2005-06 school year, said Charm Paulmeno with the state Department of Education.
“This is something special education directors have wanted for some time,” said Karen Pielin, special education director in the Thompson School District. For small districts, high costs could “just bankrupt you.”
The district is perhaps the most well-known example of the struggle districts and special- needs families encounter when trying to serve students and manage costs.
Last year, it was ordered by an administrative law judge to pay more than $130,000 a year for Luke Perkins, a severely autistic Berthoud boy, to attend a school in Boston. District officials say the cost of educating Luke out of state takes money away from other students.
Under the grant program, funding would be provided through a three-tier system.
In the first tier, the state would provide $1,250 for each student with special needs.
The second tier would provide additional funding for those with other disabilities, such as deafness or traumatic brain injury.
The third tier is the $2 million set aside that would target 36 students who have already been identified as high-needs, according to Debi Blackwell, a member of a special education consortium that pushed for the funding.
Staff writer Karen Rouse can be reached at 303-954-1684 or krouse@denverpost.com.
