Commencing with the 1998–99 fiscal year and each year thereafter, the superintendent shall make the following computations to determine the amount of funding for the purposes specified in Section 56836.23 to apportion to each special education local plan area for the fiscal year in which the computation is made:
(a) For the 1998–99 fiscal year the superintendent shall make the following computations:
(1) Multiply the total amount of state General Fund money allocated to the special education local plan areas in the 1997–98 fiscal year, for the purposes of Article 9 (commencing with Section 56780) of Chapter 7, as that chapter existed on December 31, 1998, by one plus the inflation factor computed pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 42238.1 for the 1998–99 fiscal year.
(2) Divide the amount calculated in paragraph (1) by the units of average daily attendance, exclusive of average daily attendance for absences excused pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 46010 as that subdivision read on July 1, 1997, reported for the special education local plan area for the 1997–98 fiscal year.
(3) To determine the amount to be allocated to each special education local plan area in the 1998–99 fiscal year, the superintendent shall multiply the amount computed in paragraph (2) by the number of units of average daily attendance reported for the special education local plan area for the 1998–99 fiscal year, except that a special education local plan area designated as a necessary small special education local plan area in accordance with Section 56212 and reporting fewer than 15,000 units of average daily attendance for the 1998–99 fiscal year shall be deemed to have 15,000 units of average daily attendance, and no special education local plan area shall receive less than it received in the 1997–98 fiscal year.
(b) For the 1999–2000 fiscal year and each fiscal year thereafter, the superintendent shall make the following calculations:
(1) Multiply the amount determined in paragraph (2) of subdivision (a) by one plus the inflation factor computed pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 42238.1 for the current fiscal year.
(2) Multiply the amount determined in paragraph (1) by the number of units of average daily attendance reported for the special education local plan area for the current fiscal year, except that a special education local plan area designated as a necessary small special education local plan area in accordance with Section 56212 and reporting fewer than 15,000 units of average daily attendance for the current fiscal year shall be deemed to have 15,000 units of average daily attendance.