Reform Special Education Funding
HELP NEEDED FOR SPECIAL ED BILL THIS WEEK. CALL YOUR STATE REPRESENTATIVE TODAY.
Due to strong advocate support, special education reforms to benefit children with disabilities passed the Pennsylvania House Education Committee on Monday, June 18. Thanks to all of the advocates who helped make this happen.
The comprehensive legislation for special education funding and accountability reforms passed the Committee in a unanimous vote. This is Senate Bill 1115, which has already passed the Senate.
The next step for SB 1115 is a vote in the full House tomorrow — June 20. The bill could then achieve final adoption along with the annual budget by June 30. Monday’s vote is great progress, but there’s a bit more work to do.
PLEASE CALL YOUR STATE REPRESENTATIVE TODAY.
Follow the instructions below for contacting legislators about this important bill.
1. Find the Harrisburg office phone number and e-mail address of the your state representative here — http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/legis/home/findyourlegislator/#address.
2. Call their Harrisburg office and leave a message, asking for a vote in favor of SB 1115, and noting that the House Education Committee unanimously passed the bill on Monday.
Thanks to all of the groups and their members for getting involved and making this happen for children with disabilities.
ADDITIONAL TALKING POINTS, if necessary, for calling the Harrisburg office of your local state senator:
• “Please vote for Senate Bill 1115, the special education reform bill, when it comes up for a vote tomorrow.”
• “Representatives O’Neill and Sturla are the lead sponsors in the House. Senators Browne and Dinniman are the lead sponsors in the Senate.
• “The identical companion bill introduced in the House is House Bill 704. The Senate bill is the one that is moving.
• “The current funding system is broken, is unfair, and does not provide enough resources for special education in the right places. The broken system sets the number of students eligible for state funding for special education at 16 percent regardless of whether the school district has fewer or more students receiving special education. It also does not focus the funding on strategies that have a track record for improving student performance.”
• “I am asking you to support reform of the state funding and accountability system for special education.”
• “The school districts you represent need support for special education, and must be held accountable for results.”
• “I have personal experience with how this broken system hurts children with disabilities and all students.” (Describe your experience.)
• “This legislation was approved 173-25 by the full House of Representatives in 2010, and has now been re-introduced as SB 1115. The bill does not call for any new funding in 2012-13.”
• “Thank you for supporting this important issue and voting for SB 1115 when it comes up tomorrow.”
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