Requesting Special Education Aid for Vehicle & Equipment Purchases Over $10,000

In order for the cost to be eligible for State Special Education Aid reimbursement, prior approval is required for the purchase or replacement of a vehicle utilized exclusively for specialized transportation or vehicle equipment in which the equipment cost is greater than $10,000.

If your LEA purchases a vehicle or vehicle equipment between July 1, 2020 and June 30, 2021, you must submit a “Vehicle Purchase - Categorical Aid Request” form by June 15, 2021. If prior approval is not received, the vehicle or vehicle equipment will not be eligible for aid paid in 2021-22).

Please note: The form above must be completed for any portion of the vehicle’s cost that the LEA wishes to be reimbursed for State Special Education Aid. Requests made under the IDEA flow-through or Transition Readiness grants do not count as prior approvals for state funding.

Requests that are approved will be followed with an approval letter from DPI’s Special Education Team. The LEA will need to keep this letter as part of their procurement process and make it available upon the request from auditors. Requests that are submitted after June 15, 2021, will not be accepted. If the deadline is missed, the LEA has the option of adding the vehicle to their 2020-21 IDEA grant.