Of windmills and full funding of IDEA
Demonstrating that the spirit of Cervantes lives on, the National Council on Disability and a bipartisan group of 130 members of Congress urged support for full federal funding of special education in advance of the administration’s release of the proposed 2015 budget earlier this week.
Once again it seems, the windmill won – neither the 2014 budget nor President Barack Obama’s spending plan for the succeeding year moved the dial.
When Congress passed the Education for All Handicapped Children Act in 1975 (which upon renewal in the 1990s became the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act) legislators made a commitment to pick up 40 percent of the excess cost for special education. That percentage – commonly referred to as “full funding” for special education was to be phased in over five years to become a reality in 1981.
But to date, the federal government has never picked up more than 18.5 percent of the tab. Almost 40 years after the fact, neither successive congressional bodies nor administrations have fulfilled the original promise – not even half way.
The 2014 federal budget deal signed in December, fell short of meeting that long standing goal. Even with an increase of $500 million over the 2013allocation, because sequestration was in effect that year, current funding is below the amount allocated in 2012. So there is the appearance of forward motion when, in fact, there is actual slippage.
Obama’s newest budget proposal doesn’t improve on it much – adding $100 million to this year’s allocation. But, on a per student basis, that’s just $17 more. In fact the plan places the federal share
Congressman takes leadership role in STEM project
CA – Congressman Jerry McNerney, who represents California’s 9th District and serves on the House Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Education Caucus, has joined the advisory board of STEM Learning Opportunities Providing Equity, an endeavor supported by a federal Investing in Innovation grant.
Law would encourage youth sports background checks
(Calif.) Lawmakers are set to consider legislation that would further encourage youth athletic programs to undertake criminal background checks of participating adults.