56836.21. (a) The department shall administer an extraordinary cost pool to protect special education local plan areas from the extraordinary costs associated with single placements as described in subdivision (d). Funds shall be appropriated for this purpose in the annual Budget Act. Special education local plan areas shall be eligible for reimbursement from this pool in accordance with this section.
(b) The threshold amount for claims under this section shall be the lesser of the following:
(1) (A) Through the 2019–20 fiscal year, one percent of the allocation calculated pursuant to Section 56836.08 for the special education local plan area for the current fiscal year for any special education local plan area that meets the criteria in Section 56212.
(B) For the 2020–21 fiscal year and each fiscal year thereafter, one percent of the allocation calculated pursuant to Section 56836.08 for the special education local plan area for the 2019–20 fiscal year for any special education local plan area that met the criteria in Section 56212 for the 2019–20 fiscal year.
(2) The department shall calculate the average cost of a nonpublic, nonsectarian school placement in the 1997–98 fiscal year. This amount shall be multiplied by 2.5, then by one plus the inflation factor computed pursuant to Section 42238.1, as that section read on January 1, 2013, to obtain the alternative threshold amount for claims in the 1998–99 fiscal year. For the 2021–22 fiscal year, the alternative threshold amount shall be the alternative threshold amount for the prior fiscal year multiplied by one plus the inflation factor computed pursuant to paragraph (2) of subdivision (d) of Section 42238.02, and shall also include the inflation factor of 2.31 percent instead of zero as described in Section 56836.142 for the 2020–21 fiscal year. For the 2022–23 fiscal year and for each fiscal year thereafter, the alternative threshold amount shall be the alternative threshold amount for the prior fiscal year multiplied by one plus the inflation factor computed pursuant to paragraph (2) of subdivision (d) of Section 42238.02.
(c) Special education local plan areas are eligible to submit claims for costs exceeding the threshold amount on forms developed by the department. All claims for a fiscal year shall be submitted by October 30 following the close of the fiscal year. If the total amount claimed by special education local plan areas exceeds the amount appropriated, the claims shall be prorated.
(d) Special education local plan areas are eligible to submit claims for the costs of nonpublic, nonsectarian school placements in excess of those in existence in the 1997–98 fiscal year and the costs of special education and related services for pupils who reside in licensed children’s institutions.
(Amended by Stats. 2021, Ch. 44, Sec. 102. (AB 130) Effective July 9, 2021.)
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