Special Education

Description of Use of Funds (20 U.S.C. 1411(e)(5) - IDEA 2004)

MASSDE has been informed that its estimated award for the MFY07 appropriation is $261,680,975. MASSDE estimated grant may be considered to consist of three parts:

Under part 1, MASSDE intends to flow-thru the amount required -- $232,856,604 or 89% of the grant.

Under part 2, MASSDE intends to use the full amount for administrative activities related to implementation of Part B and we have articulated the various uses of these funds on the included form for "Use of Funds."

Under part 3, MASSDE intends to use $23,551,288 on activities consistent with the required and allowable activities articulated on the included form for "Use of Funds."

Planning for these activities is in process. MASSDE begins its planning for each fiscal year in October of the preceding year and has been planning for these funds since October 2005. Our entire planning process will be completed by May 2006. During this period, MASSDE reviews data from our general oversight programs, input from constituent groups, and information from our various planning and accountability processes including a review of planned activities articulated in our State Performance Plan. LEAs, parents and constituent groups have opportunities to recommend funding and programs each year. Opportunities for input occurred and will occur through participation in planning for our State Performance Plan and in working group discussions related to each of the Indicators, discussions with our State Advisory Council and our State Steering Committee, as well as small group needs assessment discussions, and review of current funded programs with key constituents. LEAs, parents and other constituent groups are represented on our state advisory council for special education and our state special education steering committee and on State Performance Plan working groups.

The Use of Funds form, along with our assurance statements, has been posted on our website for public notice and comment and notices were sent to multiple constituent groups directing them to the website and providing them with information on how they may obtain hard copies of the information if they do not have easy web access. The posting went up February 22, 2006 and will be up for 60 calendar days (until April 22, 2006), public comment was accepted for the first 30 days during which the information was posted.

Under Section 608(a) of the IDEA that requires each State to identify in writing to the Secretary any rule, regulation, or policy as a State-imposed requirement that is not required by this title and Federal regulation; please be informed that our state regulations at 603 CMR 28.00 and 603 CMR 18.00 (previously provided to OSEP) include all rules in the area of special education that exceed federal IDEA requirements and Massachusetts has adopted a policy of continuing to require objectives or benchmarks for all students when IEPs are being developed. With this information, I believe Massachusetts has submitted all required documents. If more detail is needed, please do not hesitate to contact me.