Section 388.1651h - Special education study; Clinton County RESA; report(1) From the general fund money appropriated in section 11, there is allocated for 2024-2025 only $500,000.00 to Clinton County RESA to partner with an independent entity that has extensive experience in school finance, including the opportunity index, to conduct research, interviews, data collection, analysis, and financial modeling to develop an implementation framework that outlines the cost of fully providing special education services and supports to students with disabilities through the application of an equity-driven model.(2) The study described in subsection (1) must include key areas of school finance related to the education costs of students with disabilities. The study must provide objective guidance to the legislature regarding both of the following: (a) Modeling analysis of a weighted funding formula related to students with disabilities to determine accurate cost estimates to fully fund special education according to consensus-built weighted multipliers.(b) Policy and implementation recommendations based on an equitable framework that considers the intersection with the opportunity index and that will improve how this state funds students with disabilities.(3) Within 30 days after the completion of the study, the independent entity shall issue a report with its findings to the department, the house and senate fiscal agencies, the state budget director, the senate appropriations subcommittee on pre-K to 12, the house appropriations subcommittee on school aid and education, and the house and senate standing committees responsible for education legislation.(4) Within 60 days after the completion of the study, the independent entity shall make its findings available on a publicly available website.(5) Notwithstanding section 17b, the department shall make payments under this section on a schedule determined by the department.Added by 2024, Act 120,s 73, eff. 10/1/2024.