NC Education Code · NC Policy Manual
NC 1506-1.8 Group Home Placements
Plain English summary
This regulation governs how NCDPI reserves and distributes state funding for special education services for children with disabilities placed in residential group homes during their first year of placement. It establishes eligibility criteria, a funding formula, required application information, and assigns financial responsibility to the local board of education where the group home is located. Applications must be submitted annually by May 15th.
Key requirements
- NCDPI shall reserve an amount annually of state funding to provide special education and related services for the first-year placement of children with disabilities in residential group homes.
- A local education agency is eligible for group home funds for the initial year of group home placement only if the child has not been counted in either the December 1 or revised April 1 child counts or projected regular average daily membership.
- Only children who have been determined eligible for special education and related services prior to entering the group home are eligible for group home funds.
- A child who is determined eligible for special education and related services after entering the group home is not eligible for group home funds.
- Special allotments for children who have not been counted by local education agencies for educational allocations will be made on a pro rata annual basis according to the following formula: (1) Regular allocation; (2) State add-on (children with disabilities); (3) Federal add-on (Title VI-B only).
- Upon application for funds for initial year of placement, each local education agency shall submit to the Director of the Exceptional Children Division: (1) Name of child; (2) Name and location of group home; (3) Date of birth of each child; (4) Category of disability; and (5) Type of program to be provided.
- Children with disabilities and accompanying chronic and acute behavioral/emotional needs are eligible for Behavioral Support Services funds or group home funds, not both.
- The cost of free appropriate public education for a student with a disability who is placed in or assigned to a group home, foster home or other similar facility shall be borne by the local board of education in which the group home, foster home or other similar facility is located.
- Nothing in this section obligates any local board of education to bear any cost for the care and maintenance of a student with a disability in a group home, foster home and similar facility.
- Funding is based on availability.
- May 15th of each year is the deadline for submission of these applications.
Affected parties
- Local education agencies (LEAs)
- Children with disabilities placed in residential group homes
- Children with disabilities placed in foster homes or similar facilities
- NCDPI Exceptional Children Division
- Parents or guardians of children with disabilities
- Local boards of education