FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
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    STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION
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    John L. Winn
    Commissioner of Education
    F. PHILIP HANDY,
    Chairman
    T. WILLARD FAIR,
    Vice Chairman
    Members
    DONNA G. CALLAWAY
    ROBERTO MARTÍNEZ
    PHOEBE RAULERSON
    KATHLEEN SHANAHAN
    LINDA K. TAYLOR
    MEMORANDUM
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    Contact Information:
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    TO:
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    District
    Superintendents
    Karen Denbroeder
    (850) 245-0475
    Karen.denbroeder@fldoe.org
    FROM:
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    Cheri Pierson Yecke, Ph.D.
    K12: 2006-113
    DATE:
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    August 4, 2006
    SUBJECT:
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    EXCEPTIONAL EDUCATION STUDENTS IN RESIDENTIAL
    FACILITIES
    Consistent with the Department of Education’s goal to provide quality, efficient services, A++
    legislation (House Bill (HB) 7087) passed during the 2006 legislative session provides
    clarification regarding funding of exceptional students served in residential facilities. HB 7087
    states, “an exceptional student with a disability who resides in a residential facility and receives
    special instruction or services is considered a resident of the state in which the student’s parent is
    a resident.” The bill further indicates that nonresident students with a disability being served in
    residential facilities “may not be reported by any school district for FTE funding in the Florida
    Education Finance Program (FEFP).” Within the bill, residential facilities are defined as “…any
    type of residential facility in this state, including, but not limited to, a public school, a private
    school, a group home facility as defined in s. 393.063, an intensive residential treatment program
    for children and adolescents as defined in s. 395.002, a facility as defined in s. 394.455, an
    intermediate care facility for the developmentally disabled or ICF/DD as defined in s. 393.063 or
    s. 400.960, or a community residential home as defined in s. 419.001.”
    While Florida school districts require that parents submit proof of residency in order to enroll
    their child in a public school, the application of this procedure for students in residential facilities
    has been unclear. Due to the passage of the A++ legislation, districts must immediately take
    steps to ensure that nonresidential students, as defined, are no longer reported for FTE funding or
    included in FTE projections for subsequent years. Districts should contact residential facilities in
    their district and request that these facilities provide the district with proof of residency for each
    CHERI PIERSON YECKE, PH.D.
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    CHANCELLOR, K-12 PUBLIC SCHOOLS
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    325 W. GAINES STREET • SUITE 514 • TALLAHASSEE, FL 32399-0400 • (850) 245-0509 • www.fldoe.org
    District Superintendents
    August 4, 2006
    Page Two
    student’s parent for whom FTE funding will be claimed. Residency documentation must be the
    same documents used by all parents when enrolling their child in the district. For students whose
    parents, as defined in S. 1000.21(5), Florida Statutes (F.S.), reside outside the state, the
    residential facility is responsible for billing and collecting payment for educational and related
    services from the parent or parent’s state of residency.
    HB 7087 does not provide for current residential students with disabilities to continue to be
    claimed for FTE under the FEFP. Additionally, there is no “grace period” established for
    residential facilities and/or school districts to communicate with other states to establish payment
    for special instruction or services during which current residential students would continue to
    receive FTE funding. The effective date of the bill was July 1, 2006, indicating that only students
    with disabilities whose parents have established residency in the state of Florida may continue to
    be claimed for FTE funding.
    Information about the new requirement will be included in the FTE General Instructions for the
    2006-07 School Year, and additional technical assistance will be forthcoming. If you have
    questions about FTE reporting, contact Glenda Todd, Administrator, Office of Funding and
    Financial Reporting, at (850) 245-0405 or glenda.todd@fldoe.org. All other inquiries should be
    directed to Karen Denbroeder, Section Administrator, Bureau of Exceptional Education and
    Student Services, at (850) 245-0475 or karen.denbroeder@fldoe.org.
    CPY/ml
    cc:
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    District
    Exceptional
    Education Administrators
    District Finance Officers
    District FTE Administrators
    Auditor General

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