LAC 28: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 Blindness | 7 | 9 Deafness | 7 | 9 Deaf-blindness | 4 Emotional Disturbance | 8 Hard of Hearing | 11 | 15 | 17 Mental Disability Mild | 16 Moderate | 11 | 17 Severe | 9 Profound | 9 Mild/Moderate (Generic) | 16 Multiple Disabilities | 7 | 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 Orthopedic Impairment | 7 | 11 | 13 Partial Seeing | 11 | 15 | 17 Speech or Language Impairment | 7 | 9 Severe/Profound (Generic) | 9 Specific Learning Disability | 13 Traumatic Brain Injury | 7 | 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 Blindness | 33 Deafness | 33 Deaf-blind | 15 Emotional Disturbance | 30 Hard of Hearing | 58 | 63 Mental Disability Mild | 63 Moderate | 43 | 63 Severe | 33 Profound | 33 Mild/Moderate Generic | 58 Multiple Disabilities | 33 Other Health Impairment | 63 Orthopedic Impairment | 43 | 45 Partial Seeing | 58 | 63 Severe/Profound Generic | 33 Specific Learning Disability | 50 | 58 Traumatic Brain Injury | 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