Special Education Business Office Support

Sound charter school budgeting and fiscal management are more critical than they have ever been.  The special education budget is a dynamic component of a charter school’s overall school budget, given the variability in expenditures the program can introduce from year to year and associated fiscal compliance requirements.  The resources here will assist your program/business team establish reliable budgeting and financial management practices.

Unlike state special education revenue apportionments, the cash flow from which is based on a predetermined schedule, federal revenues require expenditure reporting, The SELPA calls for federal expenditure reports three times during the year in order to facilitate regular federal cash flow. Expenditure reports are submitted using the online Fiscal Portal.

Level 2 funding is provided for less intensive Mental Health supports (500 series CASEMIS codes).

Level 3 ERMHS funding is provided for more intensive mental health support

Partners may apply for low incidence reimbursement to help cover the costs associated with providing material and/or services to students identified with low incidence disabilities.

This one-time special education revenue approved in the 2021-22 state budget is to fund learning recovery support to pupils associated with impacts to learning due to school disruptions stemming from the pandemic, defined as the period from March 13, 2020, to September 1, 2021, inclusive. Consult the resources at right for further information.

This one-time special education funding stream approved in the 2021-22 state budget is to fund dispute prevention and voluntary alternative dispute resolution activities aimed at preventing and resolving special education disputes resulting from school disruptions stemming from the pandemic, defined as the period from March 13, 2020, to September 1, 2021, inclusive. Consult the resources at right for further information.

One of the federal grant requirements is that federal revenue may supplement, but not supplant, revenue from state and local sources. In general, federal Maintenance of Effort (MOE) compliance requires an LEA receiving federal funds to spend the same amount from state and local sources each year prior to spending federal special education revenue. The Charter SELPA offers ongoing training and resource guides to assist Charters in meeting MOE testing. The required expenditure information to conduct this testing is submitted via the Fiscal Portal.

Another element of the “supplement but not supplant” requirement for receipt of federal revenue is the Excess Cost calculation. Federal revenue may only pay for the excess costs of providing special Education and related services. Excess costs for special Education are those costs for the education of a student identified with a disability that are in excess of the average spent to educate a general education student. The Business Services Team performs the Excess Cost calculation on behalf of each member LEA to ensure compliance with this requirement.

For Organization Partners in the SELPA, income reallocation from one LEA member to another can assist with passing MOE compliance testing, managing unspent funds among the LEA network, and equalizing local contributions.

Building special education program capacity requires teamwork between a school’s business and program staff. Program informs business; business enables program. The Charter SELPA’s Program/Business Buzz Sessions allow your school’s team to sign up for 30-minute, one-on-one conversations via the web with the Charter SELPA’s program and fiscal directors.
Input on your idea for taking the next step in building special education capacity? A review of SELPA procedures related to a particular program or fiscal area? Feedback about your school’s special education program or fiscal practices? The agenda is defined by you.
Contact us at charterselpabusiness@edcoe.org to schedule your time slot.

This online workshop presented in the spring is structured to review final revenue numbers for the current year, provide an overview of fiscal considerations and compliance requirements for year-end, and deliver initial budget advice for the following year. Attendance by your special education and fiscal leads is strongly encouraged.

The Charter SELPA CEO Council meets twice each year (fall and spring). Fiscal Committee meetings are an opportunity for all Charter SELPA business staff to receive updates from the CEO Council Meetings. These 45-60 minute online meetings are scheduled shortly after each CEO Council Meeting. The meetings provide a quick update on any CEO Council actions that impact the business office, as well as updates related to state, federal, and educationally related mental health funding. All materials are subsequently posted on our website.

Access the Spring 2021 Fiscal Committee Meeting Recording.