[Busmgrs] Excess Cost Calculation

[RYAN Debby]

TO: All District and ESD Business Managers

The message below is being forwarded to you on behalf of:
Eric Richards
Director of Operations
Student Learning & Partnerships
______________________________________________
January 23, 2009
RE: Excess Cost Calculation
I want to thank all of you who provided feedback to Angie Peterman, Don Staehly, and Claire Doolittle on the proposed spreadsheet template for calculating excess costs for fiscal year 2008-2009.  I am also grateful for the work of the OSBA task force that worked with ODE to develop this document, as it will make this year's exercise much easier for you.  In particular, the efforts of Claire Doolittle bear mentioning.  She truly did an extraordinary job developing this document. And to Don Staehly for chairing and coordinating an excellent work group along with Angie Peterman.
So the time is upon on us, which is my purpose in writing.  Attached you will find the following documents;
1) The above mentioned spreadsheet, with tab instructions, to assist you in the calculation. Please note it is not mandatory that you use this spreadsheet, it is a tool developed to be helpful for you should you choose to utilize it.

2) The shortened form into which you will report your expenses for elementary and secondary, have signed and dated by an authorized official of your district, and forward the original document/signature to my attention.
http://www.ode.state.or.us/data/schoolanddistrict/funding/sped/excesscostscalculator.xls

3) A technical assistance document written by the United States Department of Education in response to questions from the field on excess costs. This is the only document of its kind from the federal level, and it addressed most of the questions that we have heard here in Oregon.
http://www.ode.state.or.us/data/schoolanddistrict/funding/sped/excesscostcalculation.pdf
4) A guidance sheet on how to secure the correct SECC number for use in the calculation.  As you know, you use the October ADM count for your total student body count.

Last year these calculations were due in on January 31, 2008.  This year the due date will be March 31, 2009.  Because we have lengthened the time for you to complete the calculation, and moved the due date back considerably, it is important that you complete this federally required exercise by the stated due date.
The economy is hitting everyone hard.  I know many of you are wondering about being able to spend at the same level as last year for this calculation.  Please remember that this is not the same as maintenance of effort.  The object here is to ensure the Feds that you are spending at least the same amount per child on an IEP in your basic costs of operating your district and providing education as you would spend on a child in General Education.  Only then can the money being provided through IDEA truly be considered as covering excess costs of providing special education and related services for kids on IEPs, and not supplanting basic educational expenses that would be incurred even if IDEA funds were not granted.
Please feel free to call or write me if you have any questions. Before contacting me, however, please reference the documents as your answer should be found therein. If not, I'm here for you.  My e-address is eric.richards at state.or.us<mailto:eric.richards at state.or.us> and my phone is 503-947-5786.


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===========End of Message============



Eric

Eric A. Richards, Director of Operations
Oregon Department of Education
Office of Student Learning and Partnerships

503-947-5786

Messages to and from this e-mail address may be made available to the public under Oregon Law.




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