Arizona Department of Education High Cost Child Claims

Arizona Department of Education High Cost Child Claims — FY2027

Arizona IDEA high-cost reimbursement pathway for eligible public education agencies serving students with disabilities whose documented costs exceed the state threshold.

FundingReimbursement-based; no fixed per-PEA award cap is stated on the controlling page. Student costs must exceed $35,004 per year, approximately $3,500 per month, to meet the current minimum threshold.

DeadlineRound 1: October 30, 2026; Round 2: January 29, 2027; Round 3: March 26, 2027; Round 4: May 28, 2027. ADE does not publish a submission time or time zone.

Last verifiedOctober 6, 2026

Required next actionEligible Arizona public education agencies should identify the single strongest qualifying student claim for the next round, verify IDEA eligibility and clean AzEDS data, confirm that all requested costs are reflected in the current IEP, and assemble the required invoices or accounting documentation, narrative, and summary template before submission. The next published deadline is October 30, 2026.

Broad Eligibility

Arizona public education agencies eligible for IDEA grant funding. A qualifying student with disabilities must have costs exceeding three times the per-pupil average, currently more than $35,004 per year; only one claim per PEA may be submitted in each round.

Atlas Analysis

The Arizona Department of Education Exceptional Student Services High Cost Child program reimburses eligible Arizona public education agencies for extraordinary costs associated with students with disabilities. ADE states that a student whose costs exceed three times the per-pupil average may qualify; the current threshold is more than $35,004 per year, approximately $3,500 per month.

For FY2027, ADE lists four claim submission rounds: October 30, 2026; January 29, 2027; March 26, 2027; and May 28, 2027. The controlling ADE page does not publish a submission clock time or time zone, so the exact deadline remains unverified for outreach purposes. Each PEA may submit only one claim per round and must be eligible for IDEA grant funding.

Required claim support includes the current IEP covering the claimed dates, invoices or accounting documentation with a crosswalk when applicable, a PEA-letterhead narrative explaining the obligation and effect on special-education funds, the ADE summary template, and clean AzEDS data aligned with the student’s IEP. Requested reimbursement items must be reflected in the IEP. ADE specifically excludes special-education teacher or administrator salaries and benefits, office equipment and office supplies, and claims that do not meet the approximately $3,500 monthly average.