The 2017 Appropriation Act (Chapter 836, 2017 Acts of Assembly, Appendix A) directed the staff of the House Appropriations and Senate Finance Committees to facilitate a workgroup with various state agencies to examine options and determine necessary actions to manage the quality and costs of private day educational programs funded through the Children’s Services Act (CSA). Other stakeholders would be included as needed to provide additional information to workgroup. The workgroup was specifically directed to review the following options:

1) The transfer of the CSA funding pool for private day education to the Department of Education;

2) Identification and collection of data to assess private day placements;

3) Identification of resources for transition of students from private day placements to a less restrictive environment;

4) Assessment of the role of Local Education Agencies regarding placements, effectiveness, quality, costs and measuring outcomes of private day education programs; and

5) An assessment of the Individual Education Plan (IEP) process with regards to private day placements.

The workgroup was directed to specifically examine funding impacts and any other changes necessary to implement recommended actions and to provide a report with preliminary findings and recommendations to the Chairmen of the House Appropriations and Senate Finance Committees.