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The PDE-4603 is an optional form; it has been designed and provided as a service to local education agencies (LEA) that should use this or a similar form to list individual data for school-age children in early intervention programs which is uploaded in the Pennsylvania Information Management System (PIMS). These instructions are written as if the PDE-4603 will be used. This form, along with other supporting documentation, should be retained in LEA files for audit purposes.
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If the early intervention program is operated by an intermediate unit (IU), the IU will upload enrollment data (membership) for school-age children. If the early intervention program is operated by a school district, the educating school district will upload enrollment data (membership) for resident and nonresident school-age children.
The determination of whether enrollment data is to be reported for a child is based on the kindergarten entry age for the school district where the child would have attended school if the child were not in the early intervention program. To determine which students are to be included on the PDE-4603 and uploaded in PIMS, it is necessary to know the kindergarten entry age for each school district. For the 2009-2010 school year, school districts reported this information on the PDE-4059K “Kindergarten Entry Age Data” screen in the Child Accounting Database (CAD Application). Beginning with the 2010-2011 school year, school districts will upload this information in the “District Snapshot” file in PIMS.
NOTE: A school district that has school-age children in an early intervention program should provide kindergarten entry age information to the intermediate unit or school district operating the early intervention program.
- Beginning with the 2009-2010 school year, upload calendar and enrollment/membership data in PIMS. A separate “School Calendar” file with the appropriate Calendar Programs Code (field #8) must be uploaded to identify this half-time or full time program (EI-H or EI-F). The enrollment data must be uploaded for school-age students in a “Student Calendar Fact” file that associates this student with this specific Calendar ID (field #3).
Prepare a separate PDE-4603 for each different funding school district (the district financially responsible for the student) for each different residency category.
Complete heading information: Name of Educating LEA, School Year, (Days in Session is preset at 180), Date, Name of Funding School District, and residency category (Resident, Section 1305, Section 1305 NR, Section 1306 Wards of State, or Non-Resident District Paid Tuition) based on the following:
Educating LEA is the District of Residence or District of Foster Parents
Resident: Mark an X in this category for resident students educated by your school district (1) who reside with the custodial parent or guardian within your school district, or (2) who reside with a foster parent who lives within your school district and the custodial parent or guardian also resides within your school district. Students in this category should have Residency Status code A (field #7) in the “Student Calendar Fact” file for PIMS.
Section 1305: Mark an X in this category for foster students educated by your school district for which your school district is the school district of residence of the foster parents. Students in this category should have Residency Status code B (field #7) in the “Student Calendar Fact” file for PIMS.
NOTE: If the foster student’s custodial/natural parent or guardian resides in the same school district as the foster parent, this student should be categorized as Resident.
Educating LEA is a School District or Intermediate Unit
Section 1305 NR: Mark an X in this category for foster students educated by an IU or educated by your school district for which your school district is not the school district of residence of the foster parents. Students in this category should have Residency Status code C (field #7) in the “Student Calendar Fact” file for PIMS.
Section 1306 Wards of State: Mark an X in this category for students in institutions, who have no known school district of residence and who have been disclaimed on the PDE-4605 form. Students in this category should have Residency Status code D (field #7) in the “Student Calendar Fact” file for PIMS.
Non-Resident District Paid Tuition: Mark an X in this category for students educated by an IU or educated by your school district whose tuition was paid by the resident school district. Students in this category should have Residency Status code G (field #7) in the “Student Calendar Fact” file for PIMS.
- COLUMN INSTRUCTIONS
Student ID: Indicate an identification number (local or PA Secure ID) for the school-age student enrolled in an early intervention program.
Student Name: List the name of each school-age student enrolled in an early intervention program.
EI-H, EI-F: Indicate whether the school-age student is enrolled in a half-time (EI-
H) or full-time (EI-F) early intervention program. Students should be categorized as half-time or full-time based on the following:
HALF-TIME (EI-H): Students in an early intervention program for less than 25 hours per week.
FULL-TIME (EI-F): Students in an early intervention program for a minimum of
25 hours per week for the entire school year or for the
entire period of enrollment.
Total Instructional Hours for Year: Report the total instructional hours provided to each student for the school year.
NOTE: Refer to Basic Education Circular 24 P.S. §15-1504 “Instructional Time and Act 80 Exceptions” for the list of activities which may be included in the calculation of instructional hours. Although BEC 24 P.S. §15-1504 does not specifically address hearing, vision, speech, physical therapy or occupational therapy, these services may be counted as instructional time. However, parent counseling and transportation of students may not be counted as instructional time.
Testing and evaluation that is done for the purpose of initially placing students may not be counted as instructional time. However, testing and evaluation that is done as a means of measuring students’ progress may be counted as instructional time.
When calculating instructional hours in cases where related services, such as therapy or vision, are integrated into special education instruction, instructional hours and related services cannot be counted twice. For example, if a student receives instruction for three hours and within the three-hour period, the student also receives one hour of integrated therapy plus one hour of vision, the total instructional hours is three. If a student receives instruction for three hours and also receives one hour of therapy plus one hour of vision beyond the three-hour period, the total instructional hours is five.
Equivalent Aggregate Days Enrolled: Report the equivalent aggregate days enrolled (days membership) for each school-age student educated in an early intervention program.
Calculation of Equivalent Aggregate Days Enrolled:
For Half-Time students: If the Total Instructional Hours for Year is 450 or more, the Equivalent Aggregate Days Enrolled equals the Days in Session (180). If the
Total Instructional Hours for Year is less than 450, the Equivalent Aggregate Days Enrolled is calculated by dividing the Total Instructional Hours for Year by 2.5.
For Full-Time students: If the Total Instructional Hours for Year is 900 or more, the Equivalent Aggregate Days Enrolled equals the Days in Session (180). If the Total Instructional Hours for Year is less than 900, the Equivalent Aggregate Days Enrolled is calculated by dividing the Total Instructional Hours for Year by 5.0.
Note: If Equivalent Aggregate Days Enrolled is calculated and uploaded as Days Enrolled (field #8) in the “Student Calendar Fact” file in PIMS, the Percentage of Time Enrolled in Calendar (field # 10) in this file should be 100.
- TOTALS
Total Instructional Hours for Year: Sum the hours for Half-Time and Full-Time programs and report totals.
Total Equivalent Aggregate Days Enrolled: Sum the days enrolled for Half- Time and Full-Time programs and report totals.
After completing the PDE-4603 forms, separate forms by funding school district and category to aid in the compilation of data to be uploaded in the “Student Calendar Fact” files in PIMS.