The Scottsdale Unified School District (SUSD) governing board is investigating why over $2 million meant to serve disabled students went virtually untapped.
SUSD only served seven students with an unreported portion of these funds from the federal Individuals With Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). IDEA requires school districts to spend a portion of their funds on private school children with disabilities.
A February memo from SUSD Director of Special Education Brooke Williams reported proportionate share fund allocations of $456,900 for 2020-21 served 0 students; $613,500 for 2021-22 served one student; $345,800 for 2022-23 served two students; $412,400 for 2023-24 served one student; and $202,900 for 2024-25 served three students.
The memo didn’t disclose how much of these allocations were actually spent per student each school year.
Williams also disclosed in the memo that districts may request that unused proportionate share funds be reverted to other allowable expenditures in the grant after 24 months.
Jenny Clark, former Arizona State Board of Education member, asked the board to investigate the unspent funds during Tuesday’s SUSD governing board meeting.
Clark testified that one of her children recently qualified for special education services through proportionate share, but claimed he and “dozens” of other qualifying students were “effectively blocked” from receiving those funds by not providing services at those students’ private schools (which IDEA allows), but instead requiring students to leave their private schools and attend part of the school day at an SUSD school to receive those services.
“SUSD has received nearly $2,031,000 in the last five years, and only seven students, such as my child, were served. Why?” asked Clark. “Because SUSD requires parents to take off work, drive our children to an SUSD school during their school day, and then an SUSD teacher whom they do not know will provide the speech therapy and reading support that our children qualify for in a group setting. This is in direct violation of the U.S. Department of Education official guidance.”
Clark asked the governing board to direct Williams to release the proportionate share funds and investigate why those millions weren’t spent. Clark pointed out that Paradise Valley Unified School District (PVUSD) released proportional share funds through a block grant, enabling her other child to receive special education services on-site at their private school.
Per its latest updated IDEA guidance on private schools, the Department of Education (ED) determined schools needed to provide a “compelling rationale” for off-site services.
“The Department generally believes that, unless there is a compelling rationale for these services to be provided off-site, LEAs should provide services on-site, at the child’s private school, to not unduly disrupt the child’s educational experience,” stated the guidance.
Board member Carine Werner directed SUSD Superintendent Scott Menzel to track down the unspent proportionate share funds.
According to a social media post by Clark following the board meeting, Williams reported the district’s plan for proportionate share limiting services to SUSD school campuses couldn’t be modified.
Thank you to board member @CarineWerner for directing @ScottsdaleUSD Supt. @menzels #becausekids to investigate where $2 million in Proportionate Share funds have gone when only 7 students were served, and why MY CHILD and other kids with qualifying disabilities are being… https://t.co/HtfztRXCN3
— Jenny Clark (@ClarkRimsza) March 5, 2025
Maybe it will be counted later as “lost money” so some swine could tap into it later.
Heads need to roll.
Wow. Left wing zealot leadership at SUSD showing their true colors. Abusing disabled children to try and increase enrollment.
Typical liberals, mo morals.