Abstract
Purpose. The purpose of this case study was to provide an organized description of the innovative actions taken by two school districts and two SELPA programs located in San Diego County to create their own high quality special education program academies to reduce their special education program cost encroachment of nonpublic school placements on each of their general fund balances. Methodology. The methodology utilized was descriptive case study focusing on four local education agencies in San Diego County that created innovative special education program academies. Data were collected from interviews with the program and fiscal personnel. Data were shared on an academy-by-academy basis and described by research question across all four cases. Findings. The data provided five findings related to the purpose for creating special education program academies. There were findings related to the program, fiscal and staffing components of the academies. Three findings dealing with the obstacles to the implementation of the academies. Three findings related to the criteria utilized to insure the academies were to be of high quality. Three findings related to the ability to reduce or contain special education program cost encroachment. Two findings were related to the local education agencies' Maintenance of Effort Requirement. Conclusions. The academies were created as a direct result of innovative actions taken by the program and fiscal leaders. The academies were created to provide a high quality instructional program that allowed students to remain in their least restrictive environment, a public school setting. The academies were created with the goal of saving money. AB602 was credited as the catalyst for the creation of the academies. The academies created high quality programs that were sound in curriculum, gave financial benefit, and made up of highly trained staff. The academies overcame internal and external obstacles to their implementation. The academies utilized stakeholder interests. All of the academies reported anecdotally, a fiscal benefit of either cost reduction or cost containment. Recommendation. Conduct longitudinal studies to investigate the actual line item cost savings of the academies and to measure the academic achievement of students attending the Special Education Program Academies.