Despite several recent threats to cut funding for special education, federal spending on students with disabilities will increase this year.
Congress approved an additional $100 million for special education under a budget passed in late December.
Though the increase is modest, advocates say any extra funds represent a win given Washington’s recent focus on trimming costs.
“It’s a good outcome,” said Lindsay Jones, senior director for policy and advocacy at the Council for Exceptional Children, which lobbies on behalf of special educators. “We always want more money and we’re nowhere near full funding, but considering the political climate, this is fine.”
When the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act became law in the 1970s, Congress committed to funding 40 percent of the program’s cost, but that never happened and today the federal government pays for less than 20 percent.
Jones described last year as a “roller coaster,” which began with a proposal to cut $557.7 million from the federal special education budget. As a result, advocates say they’re breathing a sigh of relief now that funding did not shrink.
In addition to the $100 million added to special education, Congress also provided an extra $5 million for programs supporting young children with disabilities as well as increases in funding for parent information centers and technical assistance.
Like all education programs, however, special education was subject to an across the board cut of nearly 2 percent, so the true growth in funding for this year compared to 2011 will be slightly less than the $100 million increase.
School districts will receive their next round of funding from Washington this summer and that’s when the newly-approved increases from this year’s budget will head their way.
Despite the good news this year, advocates say next year’s budget could spell trouble, however. Since lawmakers were not able to reach a deal last fall to reduce the federal deficit, automatic spending cuts are slated to hit many programs, including education, in January 2013.
Promises are just like butts. We all have one. Promises are not a legal binder, however, the documents that are signed by superintendents of school districts are legal documents and are very binding. However, if the judges of this land continue to use deference to hand out their rulings, why should the laws be on the books, other to continue to hand money over to the sobs that continue to do what they do to the special education children of this land.
Well the article doesn’t really tell us anything. Who is actually getting the money and what will it be used for? Will my daughter in Phoenix, Arizona be getting inproved services because of these millions of dollars pumped into “the system”? It’s kind of meaningless, otherwise.
February 8, 2012
I taught in the Deaf Program in one school district in Ohio until 2000. The Deaf Program phased out at that time. Before this took place, parents of deaf children met with the supervisor one day to find ways to save the program but the supervisor “turned a deaf ear” to parental concerns. Reason for closing: LACK OF FUNDS. Deaf children were placed in other programs with little or no support services such as: tutors and interpreters. Some were lost in the cracks. What we need is a certified language instructor to work with deaf children at least an hour a day to develop effective reading / writing skills. I have been very fortunate to have tutored a deaf student in another school district when I left the previous school district.
He made progress in the Regular program and is now a college freshman in a regular college. Will the funds that Congress approved for Special education re-activate Deaf Programs in Ohio?? My gut tells me it will probably not happen.
I have a 8 year old daughter, who is deaf and she has a cochlear implant. I am wanting to relocate but I don’t have any leads on a good school that will meet her needs and provide the services that she needs. I currently live in Illinois.