(a)
The State Department of Education shall conduct a study of the current methods of providing special instruction and other services to infants and toddlers who are deaf or hard of hearing. The study shall be funded, upon appropriation by the Legislature, by any available federal funds administered by the State Department of Education and shall include, but not be limited to, all of the following:
(1)
The personnel utilized.
(2)
The varying approaches utilized in providing services to individuals with single disabilities, as compared to the approaches used in providing services to individuals with multiple disabilities, including hearing impairments.
(3)
The adequacy of the resources and personnel standards.
(4)
The costs associated with ensuring that infants and toddlers who are deaf or hard of hearing received special instruction from credentialed teachers of the deaf.
(b)
The department shall report to the Legislature by January 1, 2006, recommendations regarding how to best provide and fund appropriate quality services for these children.