(1) PERSONNEL.
(a) A school board, board of control of a cooperative educational service agency, operator of a charter school established under s. 118.40 (2r) or (2x), operator of a school under a contract with a school board under s. 118.40 that is not an instrumentality of a school district, or, upon authorization of the county board, a county children with disabilities education board may employ, for a special education program, either full-time or part-time licensed teachers, licensed coordinators of special education, school nurses, licensed school social workers, licensed school psychologists, licensed school counselors, paraprofessionals, licensed consulting teachers to work with any teacher of regular education programs who has a child with a disability in a class, and any other personnel approved by the department.
(b) A school board, board of control of a cooperative educational service agency, operator of a charter school established under s. 118.40 (2r) or (2x), operator of a school under a contract with a school board under s. 118.40 that is not an instrumentality of a school district, or, upon authorization of the county board, a county children with disabilities education board may contract with private or public agencies for substitute teaching and paraprofessional staffing services, physical or occupational therapy services, orientation and mobility training services, educational interpreter services, educational audiology, speech and language therapy, pupil transition services for eligible pupils who are 18 to 21 years old, or any service approved by the state superintendent, on the basis of demonstrated need.
(1m) PROGRAM AID.
(a) Subject to par. (b), if the state superintendent is satisfied that the special education program has been maintained during the preceding school year in accordance with law, the state superintendent shall certify to the department of administration in favor of each county, cooperative educational service agency, charter school established under s. 118.40 (2r) or (2x), and school district maintaining such special education program a sum equal to the amount expended by the county, agency, charter school, and school district during the preceding year for salaries of personnel and services enumerated in sub.
(1)
(a) and STATE SUPERINTENDENT; EDUCATION PROGRAMS 115.88149 (b) and other expenses approved by the state superintendent, as costs eligible for reimbursement from the appropriation under s. 20.255 (2) (b).
(ag) Subject to par. (b), if the state superintendent is satisfied that the special education program of an operator of a school under a contract with a school board under s. 118.40 that is not an instrumentality of a school district has been maintained during the previous school year in accordance with law, the state superintendent shall certify to the department of administration in favor of the school board a sum equal to the amount expended by the operator during the previous school year for salaries of personnel and services enumerated in sub.
(1)
(a) and (b) and other expenses approved by the state superintendent as costs eligible for reimbursement from the appropriation under s. 20.255 (2) (b). Within 30 days of its receipt, the school board shall pay to the operator of the school under a contract with the school board the aid received under this paragraph.
(b) The department shall promulgate rules establishing the percentage of the salaries of school nurses, licensed school social workers, licensed school psychologists, and licensed school counselors that may be certified under par.
(a) as costs eligible for reimbursement. For each category of personnel, the department shall base the percentage on the average percentage of work time that the category spends providing services to children with disabilities, including conducting evaluations under s. 115.782.