ADMINISTRATIVE LETTER NO.:  19

 POLICY CODE:  IHBA

 TO:                  Superintendents of Schools and Directors of Special Education

 FROM:            J. Duke Albanese, Commissioner

 DATE:             March 15, 2002

 SUBJECT:            Out-of-District Placement Cost Reimbursement

            Maine education statutes (Title 20-A, Section 15612, sub-sec. 11) provide for adjustments to school administrative units for the cost of out-of-district special education placements where the cost exceeds three times the secondary foundation per pupil operating rate.  The Department of Education is responsible for paying districts the amount by which the cost exceeds “the three times formula,” during the year in which the expenditure is made.  The statute also provides that the Department is limited in this regard to the amount appropriated for this purpose.  The Department is permitted to prorate the actual amount to be paid per student, based on the total cost reported by units and the amount appropriated by the Legislature. 

The secondary foundation per pupil operating rate for this year is $5,101.00.  The figure that is to be used in the three times formula is $15,303.00. 

The Special Services Team has primary responsibility for the implementation of this program.  School administrative units are required to report the name and other identifying information regarding the student, the program that the student is attending, the actual cost of the placement for the period of time during the year that the student was enrolled, and the amount by which the cost exceeds the formula. 

The completed form should be returned to the Office of Special Services no later than April 28, 2002 where it will be reviewed for approval, and the actual amount to be returned to the unit will be determined.  Payments for this account will be added to the June subsidy check.  If you have any questions regarding the completion of this form, please contact Thomas A. Coulombe, Office of Special Services, at 624-6670.