During the fifth year of implementation of the incremental five-year plan referred to above, each school board shall submit a long-range plan for providing appropriate instruction and special services for exceptional children and shall submit said long-range plan to the State Board of Education for its review and approval or disapproval. Such plan, unless thereafter modified with approval of the State Board of Education, shall be adhered to by the school board. Said long-range plans, and all modifications thereof, shall be resubmitted to the State Board of Education for its review and approval or disapproval at such intervals as may be established by the said state board in regulations, but not in any event less often than once every seven years or more often than once every two years. Disapproval of a plan or any amendments thereto shall be only because of failure of the plan to meet minimum standards set out in regulations of the state board adopted in accordance with Section 16-39-5, and any such disapproval must specify in detail the reasons for such disapproval. The procedure for approving, disapproving, establishing and enforcing such long-range plans shall be the same as that set forth hereinabove for the incremental five-year plans and the long-range plans shall include such provisions as may be appropriate for the following:
(1) Establishment of special education classes, instruction, curricula, facilities, equipment and special services;
(2) Utilization of teachers and other personnel;
(3) Attendance requirements for exceptional children;
(4) Services for exceptional children whose condition will not permit them to profit or benefit from any kind of school program, such as day care, recreation programs and other services and facilities; and
(5) Payment of tuition and other costs for attendance at appropriate semipublic or private schools or institutions which may be able to provide appropriate services for all or some exceptional children in comparison with that which can be provided through the school system, such as, for example: Children's Center of Montgomery and Opportunity Center School in Birmingham. Such payment per exceptional child shall not exceed the average per pupil appropriation for all exceptional children in the school district, including allowances for teacher units, transportation and all other aid for exceptional children. Such payment shall, however, be limited to the extent that the child's needs cannot be met in the schools and further limited to private institutions which are approved or accredited for such training by the State Board of Education. Institutions which have not met minimal standards as may be prescribed by the State Board of Education shall not be eligible by direct or indirect means to receive state funds. No funds shall be expended for training in any school or institution outside the State of Alabama.
(6) The enrollment of exceptional children at appropriate state institutions for such children, which enrollment shall relieve the school board from any further responsibility for any such child during the period of such enrollment.
Last modified: May 3, 2021