H259 - 2023 Appropriations Act. (SL 2023-134)

Overview: Section 7.54 of S.L. 2023-134 requires the Department of Public Instruction (DPI) to set the funding rate for each eligible student enrolled in a Developmental Day Center (Center) program up to a maximum of $1,350 per month. Any funds remaining at the end of each fiscal year will not revert but will be transferred by DPI to a reserve to establish a grant program for Centers.

Beginning with the 2023-2024 fiscal year, when the balance in the reserve is at least $50,000, DPI must solicit applications from licensed, community-based Centers approved by the Exceptional Children Division at DPI for grants. The grant application will require documentation of the expenditures for which the grant is being requested and any other information requested by DPI. Local school administrative units are ineligible to receive funds from this program.

By March 15 of each fiscal year in which grants are awarded, DPI must report to the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee (JLEOC) on at least the following information:

• The Centers that received a grant.
• The balance of the reserve.
• The number of grant recipients.
• The dollar amount of each grant.
• The type of expenditure covered by each grant.

DPI must report by October 15 of each year that funds are received to the JLEOC on the following related to Centers:

• The number of students enrolled in Centers.
• The average funding rate for each eligible student enrolled in a Center.
• The percentage of eligible students enrolled in Centers that warranted dispersal of the maximum funding amount per month.
• The number of staffing vacancies in Centers, disaggregated by Center.
• Any other information DPI deems relevant.

The requirement that funds available at the end of the fiscal year do not revert became effective June 30, 2023. The remainder of this section became effective July 1, 2023.