ADMINISTRATIVE

The purpose of this memorandum is to request verification of
the final number of special education students to be included
in the December 1, 1998, child count for your school division. 
Your division will receive Part B funds for the total number
of 3-to-21-year-old students verified.  Verification is
required by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act; 
flow-through grants for the 1999-2000 school year cannot be
awarded until this certification is received. 

This verification is a step in the special education data
collection process.  Prior to final verification, Department
of Education personnel have worked with staff in your division
to ensure accuracy of data submitted for the December 1
Special Education Child Count.  Steps taken since December 1,
1998, to ensure accuracy of data submitted by school divisions
included the following:  editing data that were submitted
incorrectly, ensuring consistency when the same data were
submitted by more than one school division and/or state-operated
program, and identifying and correcting duplicate
data.  Any of these steps may have resulted in a change from
the total number of students originally submitted by your
division.

The attached verification statement includes two totals:

     The total number of 0-to-2-year-old children in your
     division.  This total is provided for your information. 
     You do not receive Part B funds for students aged 0 - 2.

     The total number of 3-to-21-year-old students for which
     you will receive Part B funds.  

Students served in state-operated programs may have been
included in data submitted by your division on December 1,
1998, but are not included in these totals.  State-operated
programs receive Part B funds for students served in the
program on December 1, 1998, even when your division is the
responsible division.  

If you have any questions about these totals (if the totals
are either too low or too high) or have questions about the
verification process, please contact the person listed below. 
If any of the totals are revised, a new form will be sent to
you for your signature. 

Please sign the attached verification statement page and
return by mail or facsimile (804-371-8796) to Mr. Paul J.
Raskopf, Department of Education, Office of Special Education
and Student Services, P.O. Box 2120, Richmond, VA 23218-2120,
by June 11, 1999.  

If you have any questions about this matter, please contact
Mr. Raskopf at 804-225-2080.

PDS/pjr
Attachment