Bill > HB0485

This bill establishes a five-year Special Education Co-teaching Pilot Program to provide grants to Local Education Agencies (LEAs) to fund co-teaching models with special education and general education teachers. The goal is to improve academic outcomes for students with disabilities, particularly those with extensive support needs. The State Board of Education will solicit proposals from LEAs and award grants on a competitive basis. The LEAs must describe their plans for co-teaching models, training, and data collection. The State Board will develop rules for the program, including a distribution formula, application requirements, and performance metrics. The bill also appropriates $5 million from the Public Education Economic Stabilization Restricted Account for the program, effective July 1, 2024.