(a) Any school district administering a program for children with autism may provide from its own personnel or contract with another state agency or a private service provider if necessary for appropriate supportive services, including, but not limited to, respite care, physical, art and music education, psychological services, language and speech therapy, physical and occupational therapy. The supportive services to be provided shall be based upon a program for each child as approved by the Department of Education; provided, that the State Board may review any objection to the Department's decision. The school district designated by the Department with State Board approval as the administering agency for a statewide program for autistic pupils shall annually submit in its budget a request for funds for such services.
(b) Community-based residential units for children with autism may be operated by a school district designated and approved by the Department with State Board approval as the administering agency for a statewide program for autistic pupils. When the school district operates a community-based residential program, that program shall meet the following minimum standards:
(1) Pre-puberty and post-puberty children shall be housed separately. In no case shall a child under age 12 be housed with a child over age 16 except as approved by the Human Rights and Peer Review committees of the statewide autistic program.
(2) Residential units shall be provided at the rate of 1 residential unit for each 4 residential pupils except that a maximum of 5 pupils may be housed in 1 residential unit. Pupils housed for the purpose of respite care, additionally defined to mean a period not to exceed 12 months, shall not be counted with respect to this provision. At no time shall the total number of pupils exceed 6 including respite placements.
(3) Residential teacher coordinators shall be provided for a period of 12 months per year at the rate of 3 full-time equivalent teacher coordinators per residential unit.
(4) Residential child care specialists shall be provided for a period of 12 months per year at the rate of 6 full-time equivalent residential child care specialists per residential unit. The Department with the approval of the State Board of Education shall determine the necessary educational requirements for the residential child care specialists.