FY 2016 Appropriation

The Special Education Add-On program is the largest of five programs serving special education students enrolled in Utah's public schools. The Add-On program serves students that range in age from 5 through 21 (the maximum age that students may remain in the public education system). Special education students must receive a free, appropriate education consistent with state and federal mandates.

As the name suggests, Add-on WPUs are applied in addition to a primary WPU generated when a student enrolls in the public school system. The primary WPU generated for special education students is counted in either the Grades 1-12 program (for students that require less than 180 minutes of special education services each day) or the Special Education - Self-Contained program.

An Individual Education Plan (IEP) governs the educational services provided to each special education student. An IEP committee comprised of parents, teachers, support personnel and administrators determines the educational needs of each student and the required services to meet identified needs. These services can range from a 15 minute per-week session to one-on-one instruction for six hours each day. A student's IEP may require other related services, such as physical therapy and occupational therapy, in order for the student to benefit from special education services.

Cost estimates indicate that it is more expensive to educate a special education student (depending on severity of need) than it is to educate a traditional student. Special services such as prescriptive speech therapy, physical therapy, occupational therapy, psychological and behavioral management, and adaptive physical education may significantly increase the costs associated with providing educational services.

Formula -- The allocation of special education dollars to school districts and charter schools is accomplished on a WPU basis. Formula determines revenue allocation by using the prior year base WPU count for each district and charter schools and increases by growth WPUs only. The formula determines special education Add-On WPUs based on the "average of Special Education ADM over the previous 5 years (which establishes the 'foundation' below which the current year WPU can never fall) or prior year Special Education ADM plus weighted growth in Special Education ADM" (USOE Finance & Statistics, MSP Descriptions, November 2006).

Growth WPUs are determined each year "by multiplying Special Education ADM from two years prior by the percentage difference between Special Education ADM two years prior and Special Education ADM for the year prior to that" (USOE Finance & Statistics, MSP Descriptions, November 2006). The increase is multiplied by 1.53 weighted pupil units for each new student and added to the foundation allocation to determine each district's or charter school's total WPU allocation. "This weight is intended to account for the additional cost of educating a special education student" (USOE Finance & Statistics, MSP Descriptions, November 2006) but may not account for all of the costs associated with educating a special education student.

Formula Restrictions -- The Add-On WPU formula contains two restrictions on increasing the number of WPUs allocated to a school district or charter school. First, "the Special Education ADM values used in calculating the difference cannot exceed the 'prevalence' limit of 12.18 percent of total district ADM" (USOE Finance & Statistics, MSP Descriptions, November 2006). Second, "if this measure of growth in Special Education exceeds current year growth in Fall Enrollment, growth in Special Education is set equal to growth in Fall Enrollment" (USOE Finance & Statistics, MSP Descriptions, November 2006).

Beginning in FY 2012, the Legislature adopted a lower WPU Value for Add-on programs in the MSP. This lower Add-on WPU Value was created to aviod significant program funding increases associated with funding transfers within the Minimum School Program. The Legislature moved funding from categorical programs in the Related to Basic School Program into the WPU Value. Because all WPU programs benefit from WPU Value increases, this influx of funding into the Basic School Program would have taken a significant amount of unrestricted funding to LEAs and placed it into restricted programs. The overall funding for the Add-on programs did not decrease as the lower Add-on WPU remained at the prior-year value. In FY 2013, the Legislature increased both WPU Values.

Funding History

Funding Issues

Enrollment Growth

Total enrollment in the public education system is projected to increase by 7,951 students in FY 2016, with a total enrollment of 630,104. Additional students in the system increases the cost to certain programs as designated by statute or legislative precedent. Adjustments are made in the following programs based on consensus enrollment and WPU estimates: Basic School Program: $24,284,600 Funds an additional 8,380 WPUs in FY 2016. Related to Basic School Program: $10,698,800 Provides a 1.3% increase to the following programs: Pupil Transportation, Enhancement for At-Risk Students, Youth-in-Custody, Adult Education, Enhancement for Accelerated Students, and Concurrent Enrollment. Provides an increase of $4,459,600 to the Local Replacement and $83,200 to the Administrative Cost programs for charter schools. Finally, increases th eamount for the Educator Salary Adjustment by $3,429,500 to account for additional teachers hired by LEAs in fall 2014. Voted & Board Local Levy: $23,023,600 Adjusts funding levels to provide the state guarante rate for all qualifying WPUs. Increases the state guarantee rate as provided in statute from $27.92 per WPU to $30.11 per WPU. The total local property tax revenue contribution to the cost of the Basic School Program is expected to increase by $8,462,600 in FY 2016. This amount works as an off-set to the total increased cost of the Basic School Program above.
Appropriation Overview

During the 2015 General Session, the Legislature appropriated for Fiscal Year 2016, $213,155,100 from all sources for Special Education - Add-on. This is a 7.1 percent increase from Fiscal Year 2015 revised estimated amounts from all sources. The total includes $213,155,100 from the General/Education Funds, an increase of 7.1 percent from revised Fiscal Year 2015 estimates.

Appropriation Adjustments

In addition to statewide compensation and internal service fund cost increases, the following appropriation adjustments were made during the 2015 General Session:

DescriptionOngoingOne-Time Enrollment Growth$5,841,800$0
OngoingOne-TimeFinancing Source
$5,841,800$0Education Fund
Total enrollment in the public education system is projected to increase by 7,951 students in FY 2016, with a total enrollment of 630,104. Additional students in the system increases the cost to certain programs as designated by statute or legislative precedent. Adjustments are made in the following programs based on consensus enrollment and WPU estimates: Basic School Program: $24,284,600 Funds an additional 8,380 WPUs in FY 2016. Related to Basic School Program: $10,698,800 Provides a 1.3% increase to the following programs: Pupil Transportation, Enhancement for At-Risk Students, Youth-in-Custody, Adult Education, Enhancement for Accelerated Students, and Concurrent Enrollment. Provides an increase of $4,459,600 to the Local Replacement and $83,200 to the Administrative Cost programs for charter schools. Finally, increases th eamount for the Educator Salary Adjustment by $3,429,500 to account for additional teachers hired by LEAs in fall 2014. Voted & Board Local Levy: $23,023,600 Adjusts funding levels to provide the state guarante rate for all qualifying WPUs. Increases the state guarantee rate as provided in statute from $27.92 per WPU to $30.11 per WPU. The total local property tax revenue contribution to the cost of the Basic School Program is expected to increase by $8,462,600 in FY 2016. This amount works as an off-set to the total increased cost of the Basic School Program above.
WPU Value Increase (4%)$8,339,900$0
OngoingOne-TimeFinancing Source
$8,339,900$0Education Fund
It costs approximately $26 million for each 1 percent increase or decrease in the WPU Value. Programs impacted include: The Basic School Program (all WPUs), Pupil Transportation, Concurrent Enrollment, Enhancement for At-Risk Students, Youth-in-Custody, Enhancement for Accelerated Students in the Related to Basic School Program.
Statute

Both State and federal law provide statutory mandates for special education. The State Board of Education is required to provide proper education and training for all students with disabilities in this State. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), Part B, requires that a free and appropriate public education be provided all eligible students with disabilities and provides federal financial assistance to carry out the mandate. Federal funds to support special education programs is budgeted and tracked through the Utah State Office of Education's budget. Utah's Special Education Legislation, passed in 1953 and amended in 1959, predated the federal law (IDEA) which was signed in 1975.

The special education Add-On WPU program is governed by the following statutes.

  • UCA 53A-17a-111 -- provides the statutory provisions governing the special education Add-On formula used in determining the number of WPUs for district and charter school allocation.
  • UCA 53A-15-301 et. seq. -- details student qualification for special education services, establishes guidelines for the State Board of Education in providing special education services, requires the State Board of Education to appoint a special education director, as well as other governing definitions and requirements associated with providing special education services.

Administrative Rule R277-750 was passed by the State Board of Education. The rule provides administrative procedures associated with the governance of the Add-On special education program.

Intent Language

HB0002: Item 1

The Legislature intends that the State Board of Education develop minimum program standards, including maximum class size limits in grades K-3, that local education agencies must meet in order to continue to receive Class Size Reduction funding. Including an estimate of the cost necessary to limit class sizes in grades K-3, without impacting class sizes in grades 4-12. The Legislature also intends that the State Board of Education report these standards and estimated costs to the Education Interim Committee and the Public Education Appropriations Subcommittee by October 31, 2015.

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COBI contains unaudited data as presented to the Legislature by state agencies at the time of publication. For audited financial data see the State of Utah's Comprehensive Annual Financial Reports.