Circuit breaker reimbursement is provided based on costs paid by districts for special education services outlined in a student's Individual Education Plan (IEP), including tuition & instruction services and transportation to out-of-district programs. Examples of non-reimbursable expenses include administrative, overhead, evaluation, and service coordination costs. For specific language around qualified expenses, please refer to 603 CMR 10.07.
Pricing is set by the Commonwealth and other public entities outside of the circuit breaker program. Those costs include private program tuition rates, individually authorized student program rates, collaborative tuition rates, in-district service rates and transportation costs.
Tuition rates for private special education program approved by the Office of Approved Special Education Schools (OASES) are set by the Operational Services Division (OSD). Approved rates are posted on the OSD website and collected annually by the circuit breaker office to assist with claiming.
The latest pricing sheet compiled by the circuit breaker office (referred to as the "CB7") is available here: FY2024 Circuit Breaker Private Special Education Program Rates
To claim expenses for students attending unapproved programs, districts must apply for and obtain special authorization of an Individual Student Program (ISP) by the DESE Problem Resolution Office (PRS) on an individual student basis, with program pricing then set by OSD.
To initiate the ISP authorization process, districts should contact PRS. The instructions and request form are available here: PRS Special Approvals and Notice Requirements
Authorized ISPs are provided by OSD to the circuit breaker office to support the claims process.
The Board of each Collaborative sets tuition pricing. Additionally, Boards are expected to determine the amount, if any, of cumulative credit they return to member districts annually.
Districts are reimbursed through the circuit breaker program based on the collaborative's tuition rate. However, during the claim process districts must account for the full amount of annual cumulative credit received by applying those credits to individual student expenses. The Cumulative Credit worksheet within the claim file provides instruction and assists with this process.
Districts may seek approval of an Individual Price Authorization (IPA) to pay for additional, unique, or specialized services for a student as part of an Individual Education Plan (IEP).
IPA approval for services costing $20 or more per hour is obtained through OSD. Requests for IPAs can be initiated through their website: Request special education individual pricing
For services costing less than $20 per hour, IPA approvals are self-authorized by districts when filling out this form: Individual Price Request for services less than $20 per hour
Regardless of the hourly cost of services, approved IPAs need to be on file with the circuit breaker office to support claims. Districts should provide any self-authorized (less than $20/hr) IPAs when uploading their claims through the secure portal.
Standard rates for each type of special education service provided in-district were first established by the DESE in FY2003 based on a statewide survey, and rates are increased annually at the same inflation rate OSD uses in their calculation of private school rates. For example, 2.54% for FY23 and 5.18% for FY24 .
These rates are used to calculate the reimbursable cost for services provided to students in-district, including services specified in IEPs to supplement to out-of-district programs ("in-district supplemental" services), are pre-populated in the circuit breaker claim form.
Beginning with implementation of the Student Opportunity Act, costs associated with transporting students to out-of-district programs are qualified expense for circuit breaker claiming.
Reimbursement is based on per-student costs paid by the district and must be supported by invoices and other relevant documentation, whether transportation is provided by a third-party vendor, district resources, or parent agreement. Additionally, costs associated with out-of-district transportation-related services required in an IEP, such as a nurse or monitor, also qualify for reimbursement.
Last Updated: January 25, 2024
Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education 135 Santilli Highway, Everett, MA 02149
Voice: (781) 338-3000 TTY: (800) 439-2370
Disclaimer: A reference in this website to any specific commercial products, processes, or services, or the use of any trade, firm, or corporation name is for the information and convenience of the public and does not constitute endorsement or recommendation by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.