§ 299.7 What are the factors for determining equitable participation of children and teachers in private schools?

(a) Equal expenditures.

(1) Expenditures of funds made by an agency, consortium, or entity under a program listed in § 299.6 (b) for services for eligible private school children and their teachers and other educational personnel must be equal on a per-pupil basis to the amount of funds expended for participating public school children and their teachers and other educational personnel, taking into account the number and educational needs of those children and their teachers and other educational personnel.

(2) Before determining equal expenditures under paragraph (a)(1) of this section, an agency, consortium, or entity shall pay for the reasonable and necessary administrative costs of providing services to public and private school children and their teachers and other educational personnel from the agency's, consortium's, or entity's total allocation of funds under the applicable ESEA program.

(3) An agency, consortium, or entity must obligate funds allocated for educational services and other benefits for eligible private school children in the fiscal year for which the funds are received by the agency, consortium, or entity.

(4) An SEA must provide notice in a timely manner to appropriate private school officials in the State of the allocation of funds for educational services and other benefits that an agency, consortium, or entity has determined are available for eligible private school children and their teachers and other educational personnel.

(b) Services on an equitable basis.

(1) The services that an agency, consortium, or entity provides to eligible private school children and their teachers and other educational personnel must also be equitable in comparison to the services and other benefits provided to public school children and their teachers or other educational personnel participating in a program under this subpart.

(2) Services are equitable if the agency's, consortium's, or entity's—

(i) Addresses and assesses the specific needs and educational progress of eligible private school children and their teachers and other educational personnel on a comparable basis to public school children and their teachers and other educational personnel;

(ii) Determines the number of students and their teachers and other educational personnel to be served on an equitable basis;

(iii) Meets the equal expenditure requirements under paragraph (a) of this section; and

(iv) Provides private school children and their teachers and other educational personnel with an opportunity to participate that is equitable to the opportunity and benefits provided to public school children and their teachers and other educational personnel.

(3) The agency, consortium, or entity shall make the final decisions with respect to the services to be provided to eligible private school children and their teachers and the other educational personnel.

(c) If the needs of private school children, their teachers and other educational personnel are different from the needs of children, teachers and other educational personnel in the public schools, the agency, consortium, or entity shall provide program benefits for the private school children, teachers, and other educational personnel that are different from the benefits it provides for the public school children and their teachers and other educational personnel.

[62 FR 28252, May 22, 1997, as amended at 84 FR 31679, July 2, 2019]