SCS/HCS/HB 827 – This act requires that the educational needs of certain children committed to the guardianship of the Department of Social Services are to be considered by the child's family support team and invites the local school district to have full representation on the team. When the Department of Social Services places a child for treatment in a licensed residential care facility, the facility shall be responsible for the child's educational needs if there is no individualized education program for the child. This act addresses the use of homebound instruction, alternative settings, and reimbursement for educational services for facilities with their own school and staff, facilities with their own school facilities using school district staff, and facilities with neither school facilities nor staff of their own. Any child placed for treatment in a licensed residential care facility whose treatment plan supports his or her ability to attend public school but who is then suspended or demonstrates school failures will receive a full school day of education as described in the Act.
Licensed residential care facilities for children may contract with school districts for educational services. A residential treatment facility shall work with the school district to develop an educational plan. If a facility and school district cannot reach an agreement on the education plan for the student, the differences shall be resolved by an arbitration panel with representatives from the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, the Children's Division within the Department of Social Services, and a member appointed by the Governor. Each treatment facility and school district must file a signed copy of their education plan to the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education and to the Department of Social Services before June 1 of each year.
This act is similar to SB 515 (2007).
MICHAEL RUFF