View FileOctober 27, 2009 to National Association of Private Special Education Centers Executive Director and CEO Sherry L. Kolbe (MS Word)
October 27, 2009Sherry L. KolbeExecutive Director and CEONational Association of Private Special Education Centers1522 K Street, NW, Suite 1032Washington, DC 20005-1202Dear Ms. Kolbe:This is in response to your July 16, 2009 letter to Ruth Ryder, in the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP), U.S. Department of Education. In your letter, you ask, specifically, can private specialized programs compensate therapist employees and contractors for attending training sessions held on program campuses that occur beyond regular work hours with 611/619 funds? The point of the training, of course, is that a better trained therapist will provide a better educational experience for children.As you confirmed during a telephone conversation on September 17, 2009 with Deborah Morrow, the private specialized programs you mention in your letter are privately-run facilities that provide special education and related services to children with disabilities who are placed in the facilities by public agencies, pursuant to 34 CFR 300.145-300.147. These private specialized programs receive funds under sections 611 and 619 of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) from public agencies as compensation (tuition) for the attendance of the children with disabilities who are placed at these facilities by public agencies. The contractors to which you refePatricia J. GuardActing DirectorOffice of Special Education ProgramsPage PAGE * MERGEFORMAT 2 Sherry L. Kolbe
