La. Admin. Code tit. 28 § XLIII-1001

Current through Register Vol. 50, No. 3, March 20, 2024
Section XLIII-1001 - Pupil/Teacher, Pupil/Speech/Language Pathologist, and Pupil Appraisal Ratios for Public Education
A. In providing services to all identified students with disabilities, the number of students in each instructional setting shall not exceed the following numbers.
1. Self-Contained Classrooms

Self-Contained Classrooms

Preschool

Elementary

Secondary

Autism

4

4

4

Blindness

7

9

9

Deafness

7

9

9

Deaf-blindness

4

4

4

Emotional Disturbance

8

8

Hard of Hearing

11

15

17

Mental Disability

Mild

16

16

Moderate

11

17

Severe

9

9

Profound

9

9

Mild/Moderate (Generic)

16

16

Multiple Disabilities

7

9

9

Noncategorical Preschool

Mild/Moderate Functioning

Full Day

11

Half Day

16

Severe/Profound Functioning

Full Day

7

Half Day

14

Other Health Impairment

17

17

Orthopedic Impairment

7

11

13

Partial Seeing

11

15

17

Speech or Language Impairment

7

9

9

Severe/Profound (Generic)

9

9

Specific Learning Disability

13

13

Traumatic Brain Injury

7

9

9

2. Paraeducator Training Units
a. Preschool-Aged Students: One teacher and two paraeducators shall be appointed for the initial six preschool students. For students functioning within the severe/profound range, there shall be one additional paraeducator for any additional group of three, not to exceed two additional groups of such students. For students functioning within the mild/moderate range, the additional paraeducators shall be added for each additional group of four. The maximum number of students shall not exceed twelve per unit.
b. School-Aged Students: One teacher and two paraeducators shall be appointed for the initial six students with severe/profound or low incidence disabilities. There shall be one additional paraeducator for any additional group of three, not to exceed four additional groups of such students. The maximum number of students shall not exceed eighteen per unit.
3.
a. Resource Rooms (Generic or Categorical) and Itinerant Instruction Programs (per teacher)
i. Students with severe or low incidence impairments/disabilities-10
ii. All other students with disabilities-27
b. Because of the travel requirements of the program, this number may be reduced by the LEA to 10-19 when instruction is provided to "all other students with disabilities" in at least two different schools.
4. Combination Self-contained and Resource Classrooms
a. Students with severe/low incidence impairments/disabilities-12
b. All other students with disabilities-20
5. Hospital/Homebound Instruction (per teacher)
a. Itinerant-10
b. One Site-17
6. Preschool Intervention Settings (Parent/Child Training)
a. Intervention in the Home-15
b. Intervention in a School or Center-19
7. Reserved.
8. Adapted Physical Education Instruction (per teacher)-60
a. In caseloads exceeding thirty-five students, the total number of students identified as having a severe motor deficit shall not exceed seventeen.
b. Itinerant Instruction (Two or more schools)-40
9. Instruction in Regular Classes. This ratio refers to the caseload of special education teachers who provide instruction to students with disabilities in general education settings.
a. Students with severe or low incidence impairments/disabilities-9
b. All other students with disabilities-16
10. Self-contained or Resource Departmentalized Settings

Self-Contained or Resource Departmentalized Settings

Elementary

Secondary

Autism

15

15

Blindness

33

33

Deafness

33

33

Deaf-blind

15

15

Emotional Disturbance

30

30

Hard of Hearing

58

63

Mental Disability

Mild

63

63

Moderate

43

63

Severe

33

33

Profound

33

33

Mild/Moderate Generic

58

58

Multiple Disabilities

33

33

Other Health Impairment

63

63

Orthopedic Impairment

43

45

Partial Seeing

58

63

Severe/Profound Generic

33

33

Specific Learning Disability

50

58

Traumatic Brain Injury

33

33

11. Paraeducators may be hired to meet the unique needs of students with disabilities.
12. Speech/language pathologists in LEAs shall be employed at the rate of one for each thirty (or major fraction thereof) students receiving speech therapy. In determining the number of pupils, the following criteria shall be used.
a. Each student shall receive speech therapy.
b. Each speech/language pathologist shall be assigned a minimum of one student in speech therapy and shall not be assigned more than 79 points.
c. Each hour per week of pupil appraisal assessment services, supervision of speech/language pathologists who hold restricted license, or supervision of speech pathology assistants shall equal one point for the purpose of determining the caseload. Assignment of these activities shall be made by the LEA supervisor.
d. The caseload shall be determined according to the following guidelines.

Service Type

Number of Points Determining Caseload

Each hour of assessment

1

Each hour of supervision

1

Each hour of consultation

1

Each student receiving speech therapy

1

13. Pupil appraisal members shall be employed by LEAs at the rate listed below. LEAs may substitute one pupil appraisal for another provided that all pupil appraisal services are provided in accordance with these regulations.

Public School Ratios

Based on Membership

Private School Ratios

Based on Membership

Educational Diagnosticians

1:2,400 or major fraction thereof

1:3,500 or major fraction thereof

School Psychologists

1:2,400 or major fraction thereof

1:3,500 or major fraction thereof

Social Workers

1:3,200 or major function thereof

1:4,500 or major function thereof

La. Admin. Code tit. 28, § XLIII-1001

Promulgated by the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education, LR 34:2097 (October 2008).
AUTHORITY NOTE: Promulgated in accordance with R.S.17:1941 et seq.