Updated: May 16, 2018
SEEF Formula Grant (FY18) ending Sept. 30, 2018: To help plan for implementing the Enhanced Special Education Services Act of 2014, in FY18 OSSE made more than $3.7 million in funding available to LEAs in the Special Education Enhancement Fund (SEEF) formula grant. The latest version of the DC Fiscal Year FY19 Budget Support Act (BSA) increases the Uniform Per Student Funding Formula (UPSFF) special education compliance weight, providing more total funding than the SEEF FY18 formula to help LEAs meet the law’s requirements. Thus OSSE will not run the SEEF formula grant again in FY19. SEEF formula grantees for FY18 must spend 100 percent of their grant funds by the end of the grant period, Sept. 30, 2018, or unspent funds will revert to the SEEF to fund other initiatives in future years.
Additional Background: The Enhanced Special Education Services Act of 2014 (DC Law 20-195; DC Official Code § 38-2614 and § 38–2561.02) made important updates to special education services in DC, including:
- Secondary Transition: Lowers the minimum age for the creation of secondary transition plans for students with disabilities from age 16 to 14, “beginning July 1, 2016, or upon funding, whichever occurs later.”
- Initial Evaluation: Requires LEAs to make reasonable efforts to obtain parental consent to evaluate the child within 30 days of referral, and then complete the evaluation and eligibility determination within 60 days of parental consent. This requirement of the law takes effect “beginning July 1, 2017, or upon funding, whichever occurs later.”
FY19 Budget Support Act: As approved by the Council of the District of Columbia Education Committee, the FY19 BSA provides an increase to the UPSFF, including an increased per-student weight for special education compliance that will help LEAs meet the new requirements in the Enhanced Special Education Services Act of 2014. In addition, the FY19 BSA would repeal the “upon funding” clauses of the Enhanced Special Education Services Act, to make the law go into effect fully in the 2018-19 school year.
Archived Information: SEEF Formula Grant for FY18
Eligibility
Eligible applicants must:
- Be a District LEA serving students in 2017-18 school year; and
- Receive federal IDEA funding.
Purpose of Funds
The Enhanced Special Education Services Amendment Act of 2014 (DC Code § 38–2561 et seq.) legislates that LEAs are required to evaluate a student who may have a disability and who may require special education services within 60 days from the date that the student's parent or guardian provides consent for the evaluation. This represents a change from the current requirement of completing an evaluation and eligibility determination within 120 days from referral. The Act also legislates that the first Individualized Education Program (IEP) in effect after a child with a disability reaches age 14 shall include transition assessments and services (rather than the current requirement of age 16). OSSE expects these requirements to be in effect by July 1, 2018, prior to the 2018-19 school year.
- Initial Evaluation Timelines. OSSE is providing funding for LEAs to shorten the timeline for completion of initial evaluation of students who may have a disability, in order to be prepared to be in full compliance with the 60 day evaluation timeline by July 1, 2018.
- Middle School Secondary Transition. OSSE is providing funding for LEAs to begin completion of secondary transition plans for students aged 13, 14, and 15, to be prepared to be in full compliance with the new requirements for secondary transition by July 1, 2018.
Requirements
This formula grant funding will be distributed to DC LEAs that submit an approved application. LEAs that access these funds will be required to:
- Engage with OSSE in a bi-annual data review process to review metrics related to evaluation timelines and middle school secondary transition.
- Utilize technical assistance support provided by OSSE which helps them analyze current challenges and develop an action plan to help meet the new requirements.
Funding
A total of $3,771,769 is available for formula grant awards through this grant award period beginning Oct. 1, 2017 through Sept. 30, 2018. OSSE will provide additional continuation funding in future years, subject to availability of continued funding. Awards are limited to one per applicant.
Funds will be allocated to eligible District of Columbia LEAs that complete an approvable application. Eligible LEAs are those that accept federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act funding. Funds will be distributed using a formula as follows:
Each eligible LEA will receive a base allotment of $2,500.
The remaining funds shall be allocated as follows:
- 20 percent of the remaining funding is allocated to each LEA based on the LEA’s share of the total number of students with disabilities who will be age 13, 14, or 15 on July 1, 2018, and thus who will need additional support as the transition age changes from 16 to 14. OSSE selected 20 percent because that is the percentage of students with disabilities citywide who will be age 13, 14, or 15 on July 1, 2018.
- The remaining 80 percent of funding will be allocated to each LEA based on that LEA’s share of the District’s total number of students with disabilities.
FY 18 Allocations by LEA
Schedule
Save the Date:
- Application release: Monday, July 3, 2017
- Pre-application webinars (applicants must attend) [presentation slides]
- Tuesday, July 11, 11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
- Wednesday, July 12, 4 - 5 p.m.
- Thursday, July 20, 1-2 p.m. (make-up session)
- Application deadline: Thursday, Aug. 31, 2017 by 3 p.m.
- Award notifications: Tuesday, Sept. 5, 2017
For more information or questions, please contact Jonathan Elkin at [email protected].
