The School Board of Manatee County received an annual appropriation of federal funds to provide supplemental services for students with disabilities.

Current positions funded through the IDEA grant include teacher aides, teacher assistants, Local Area Network (LAN) specialist, secretaries, school nurses, Exceptional Student Education (ESE) transportation route specialist, clerical assistants, behavior specialists, parent support specialist, curriculum specialist, interpreters for hearing impaired students, and 2 teaching positions.  A percentage of salaries and benefits for positions including school health service specialist, research coordinator, speech pathologists, social workers, psychologists, secretaries, ESE specialists, junior accountant and ESE coordinators are also included in the grant. 

Positions funded through the IDEA Preschool Grant include teacher aide, social worker, nurse, psychologist, home school liaison, speech pathologist, ESE specialist and a secretary.  In addition, the annual budget includes benefits for all of the above positions and set-aside funds for approved parentally placed private school student services,

The ARRA Part B, Entitlement includes funds for the bus monitors, Response to Intervention (RTI) facilitator, behavior specialists, teacher aides, psychologists, social workers, teachers, professional development resource specialist, professional development secretary, Child Restraining System (CRS) specialist, Aggressive Control Technique (ACT) and Professional Crisis Management (PCM) trainer, and a mental health counselor.  In addition, the budget includes benefits for all of the above positions, training stipends, non-contract hourly funds, substitute teacher funds, funds for approved charter school and parentally placed private school students services, travel, repairs, printing, supplies, dues and fees, postage, contracted therapy services, contracted staff training services, residential treatment services, technology, and ESE software program funds.

The ARRA Part B, Preschool budget includes funds for salary and benefits for one teacher position.  In addition, the budget includes funds for training stipends, non-contracted hourly funds, contracted staff training services, and funds for approved parentally placed private school student services.

The Superintendent recommends approval to apply, accept and expend the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) grant applications for the fiscal year 2009-2010, through the end of the grant period September 30, 2011.

Motion and approval to apply, accept and expend the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) grant applications for the fiscal year 2009-2010, through the end of the grant period September 30, 2011.

The Allocation for IDEA Part B is, $9,329,480 and the ARRA Part B is $9,673,021.00.

The allocation for the IDEA Part B, Preschool is $304,825.00 and ARRA Part B Prescholl is $304,568.00

The District will receive a total of $19,611,894.00, from the Individuals with Disabilites Education Act (IDEA), Part P and Preschool Entitlement Grant for the fiscal year 2009-2010, and the American Recovery  and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) Grant for the fiscal year 2009-2010, and through the end of the grant period September 30, 2011.

Exceptional Student Education Department

RR/jb

07/27/09