A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT TO APPROPRIATE FUNDS FOR A PILOT REGIONAL SPECIAL EDUCATION FUND TO SUPPORT MULTIDISCIPLINARY ASSESSMENT SERVICES FOR CHILDREN WITH SEVERE COMMUNICATION AND MOBILITY DISABILITIES WHO HAVE GOOD ACADEMIC POTENTIAL.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1.  There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Department of Public Instruction, Division of Exceptional Children, the sum of fifty thousand dollars ($50,000) for the 2009‑2010 fiscal year.  These funds shall be used to establish a pilot regional special education fund to support multidisciplinary assessment services for children with severe communication and mobility disabilities who have good academic potential.
SECTION 2.  There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Department of Public Instruction, Division of Exceptional Children, the sum of fifty thousand dollars ($50,000) for the 2009‑2010 fiscal year.  These funds shall be used to support the University of North Carolina Center for Literacy and Disability Studies for the implementation of a multidisciplinary assessment program for children with severe communication and mobility disabilities.
SECTION 3.  There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Department of Public Instruction, Division of Exceptional Children, the sum of fifty thousand dollars ($50,000) for the 2009‑2010 fiscal year.  These funds shall be used to provide planning grants of up to ten thousand dollars ($10,000) per grant to regions of the State to replicate the New Voices Program, a regional service model now operating in the Research Triangle region of the State.
SECTION 4.  The Department of Public Instruction will work cooperatively with the New Voices Program to implement the activities for which funds are appropriated in this act.
SECTION 5.  This act becomes effective July 1, 2009.