Nevada
Law for Special Ed Funds Can Be Complicated
The federal Individual with Disabilities Education Act says that public schools are no longer obliged to spend state money on children not enrolled in the public schools. Federal money for private school students is still available, however. A complicated formula determines how many potential nonpublic school students are in a school district, and federal funds generally work out to $300-$400 dollars maximum per student.
Despite the federal law, Nevada Senate Bill 213 required school districts to provide special education and related services to home schoolers. Prior to this law, many districts refused to recognize home schooled students as private school students eligible for such services.
While earmarked federal dollars must be spent on private and home school students, the school district decides how to best allocate these funds. Around the country, a number of school districts have chosen to shrink the list of special education services available to private and home schools.
Home schoolers in need of special education and related services may still approach their local school for help. However, the district will likely not offer the same level of services that it provides to full-time public school students.
— J. Michael Smith
