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On the Issues
IDEA Reauthorization
In 1975, the federal government opened the doors of learning to millions of children by enacting the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), mandating that children with special education needs have access to the same public school education that every other young American enjoys. In 2005, Congress approved legislation (H.R. 1350) to reauthorize IDEA that prohibits schools from punishing students whose behavior is a result of their disability; gives the Department of Education better authority to ensure that states are complying with the law; and lessens the burden of moving from one school to another for students who make such changes frequently, like homeless children or foster care children.
IDEA Funding
With a growing number of students with special needs, record-high student enrollments, and a critical shortage of qualified teachers, we must make sure our public schools have the resources they need to be successful. Particularly in light of the new No Child Left Behind requirements, federal support for elementary and secondary education is more important than ever.
The Fiscal Year (FY) 2008 Omnibus Appropriations bill provided $10.9 billion for IDEA, an increase of $170 million above the FY 2007 level. At the time IDEA was enacted, it was estimated that it would cost, on average, about twice as much to educate a child with disabilities as a non-disabled child. As a result, IDEA authorized the federal government to pay 40 percent of this additional or "excess" cost for every special education student.
Currently, the federal share of the excess cost of educating special needs children is about 17 percent, down from 19 percent in FY 2005. Unfortunately, the President’s FY 2009 budget requests only $11.3 billion for IDEA, which would continue to comprise only 17 percent of the estimated excess cost.
The underfunding of IDEA is the direct result of the fiscal priorities of the current administration, which favors tax cuts primarily benefiting the wealthiest Americans above education and other important investments in our country’s future. As a senior member of the House Appropriations Committee, I will continue fighting for increased funding for IDEA to give our schools and students the support they need to succeed.
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