The 2020–21 Enacted State Budget Act included $8.6 million to be allocated by the State Superintendent of Public Instruction to Special Education Local Plan Areas (SELPAs) to support local educational agencies (LEA) in establishing and improving local alternative dispute resolution (ADR) as an increase in the number of disputes from special education distance learning related to COVID-19 looms. The ADR COVID-19 grant funds will be distributed equitably among applicant SELPAs based on the number of students with disabilities enrolled in each SELPA as follows:
| SELPA Size | Number of SELPAs at This Size |
Estimated Grant Amount per SELPA |
|---|---|---|
| Under 500 | 7 | $32,209.74 |
| 501 - 1,500 | 16 | $53,682.90 |
| 1,501 - 2,000 | 6 | $59,051.19 |
| 2,001 - 5,000 | 48 | $64,419.48 |
| 5,001 - 10,000 | 34 | $69,787.77 |
| 10,001 - 15,000 | 14 | $75,156.05 |
| 15,001 - 37,000 | 6 | $80,524.34 |
| Los Angeles Unified School District | 1 | $161,048.69 |
| Source: California Department of Education (CDE) | ||
Note that the grant amounts in the table above are estimates and will be adjusted based on the number of SELPAs that submit applications, though the CDE advises applicants to use the estimated information to complete the ADR COVID-19 Grant Budget Summary form.
The application package and other expenditure reporting and use of funds documents provide additional information on the grant. To be considered eligible for the ADR COVID-19 grant funds, applicants must submit the documents noted below with an asterisk via email to ADR@cde.ca.gov, attention Venetia Davis, on or before next Wednesday, October 21, 2020:
- ADR COVID–19 Grant Cover Letter
- ADR COVID–19 Grant Funding Application (Due October 21, 2020)*
- ADR COVID–19 Grant Budget Summary (Due October 21, 2020)*
- ADR COVID–19 Enhancement Plan Template (Due October 21, 2020)*
- ADR COVID–19 Report to the Superintendent of Public Instruction Template (Due April 1, 2021)
- ADR COVID–19 Grant Expenditure Report
- Guidance for the Use of ADR COVID–19 Grant Funds
For questions or more information regarding the ADR COVID-19 grant funds, contact Michael Wimberly, Education Programs Consultant, Special Education Division, by telephone at 916-319-0377 or via email at mwimberly@cde.ca.gov.