Reform Special Education Funding
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One more round of calls should help us win final passage in the Senate!
We need help because Senate Bill 1115 for special education funding and accountability reform is expected to receive two final votes in the Pennsylvania Senate during the week of March 26.
Due to incredible support, SB 1115 [...]
One more round of calls should help us win final passage in the Senate!
We need help because Senate Bill 1115 for special education funding and accountability reform is expected to receive two final votes in the Pennsylvania Senate during the week of March 26.
Due to incredible support, SB 1115 passed the Senate Education Committee on Tuesday, March 6 in a unanimous vote. Thank you to everyone who helped make this happen.
The next step for SB 1115 is a vote next week in the Senate Appropriations Committee, and then a vote on the Senate floor. The goal is to send this bill to the House by early April and then achieve final adoption along with the annual budget by June 30. The vote on March 6 was great progress, but obviously we have more work to do.
The Senators need to hear from their constituents in support of SB 1115, before the upcoming votes.
The home district office phone number and e-mail address for the state senators is here – http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/legis/home/findyourlegislator/#address.
E-mail or call this week to your senator’s home district office and leave a message. The senators are in the district this week.
Due to strong advocate support, special education reforms to benefit children with disabilities passed the Pennsylvania Senate Education Committee on Tuesday, March 6. 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
Due to strong advocate support, special education reforms to benefit children with disabilities passed the Pennsylvania Senate Education Committee on Tuesday, March 6. 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 is also now up to 30 cosponsors in the Senate.
The next step for SB 1115 is a vote in the Senate Appropriations Committee, perhaps in the next week or two, and then a vote on the Senate floor. The goal is to send this bill to the House by early April and then achieve final adoption along with the annual budget by June 30. Tuesday’s vote is great progress, but obviously there’s more work to do.
Go to the Action Alert and follow the instructions for contacting legislators about this important bill.
Make a phone call today to improve special education for students with disabilities in Pennsylvania!
Call or e-mail your state senator before March 6 and ask for a vote in favor of Senate Bill 1115. Even in this tough year, we are close to making historic progress for children with disabilities.
[...]
Make a phone call today to improve special education for students with disabilities in Pennsylvania!
Call or e-mail your state senator before March 6 and ask for a vote in favor of Senate Bill 1115. Even in this tough year, we are close to making historic progress for children with disabilities.
SB 1115 is our reform legislation for special education funding and accountability. We have worked to enact these positive reforms for several years. We are now getting close to final passage.
You can find the Harrisburg office phone number and e-mail address for your state senator here – http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/legis/home/findyourlegislator/#address. E-mail or call their Harrisburg office and leave a message.
Thank you for getting involved and making this happen for children with disabilities.
TALKING POINTS 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 in March.”
• “Senators Browne and Dinniman are the leads sponsors. The bill has 29 cosponsors and Senator Piccola, Chair of the Education Committee, is also supporting the bill.”
• “I am asking you to support reform of the state funding and accountability system for special education.”
• “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.”
• “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% 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.”
• “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.)
• “Thank you for supporting this important issue and voting for SB 1115 when it comes up in March.”
2010 ACTION: In 2010, House Bill 704 was passed by the House with bi-partisan support (173 to 25) and came close to getting a vote in the Senate. We just ran out of time.
2011 ACTION: The bills for reforming the state system of funding and accountability for special education were re-introduced in June 2011. [...]
2010 ACTION: In 2010, House Bill 704 was passed by the House with bi-partisan support (173 to 25) and came close to getting a vote in the Senate. We just ran out of time.
2011 ACTION: The bills for reforming the state system of funding and accountability for special education were re-introduced in June 2011. A hearing was held in the Senate Education Committee in November 2011, with witnesses from the Arc of PA, the Education Law Center, and the Sto-Rox and Lancaster school districts.
Senator Patrick Browne (R-Allentown) and Representative Bernie O’Neill (R-Bucks County) are now the lead sponsors. Senator Dinniman (D-West Chester) and Representative Sturla (D-Lancaster) are also supporting the legislation.
Check out the bills and the list of cosponsors for Senate Bill 1115 and House Bill 704. Thanks to your phone calls, there are now 29 cosponsors on the Senate bill and 56 on the House bill. Click here for a detailed summary of the bills.
Note that SB 1115 will be the vehicle for adopting the special education reforms in 2012. We expect the House to vote on SB 1115, not HB 704. The two bills are identical, but only the Senate bill will get voted on.
MOST RECENT AMENDMENT TO SB 1115: Senators Piccola, Dinniman, and Browne have recently agreed to final changes to the bill. This clears the way for a vote in the Senate Education Committee. In general, the changes improve the bill by protecting the proposed formula for more effectively distributing special education funding from the state. In addition, two new provisions were added to provide more help for students with severe disabilities and to shift funding from state-level administration to go more directly to services for students with disabilities.
The special education reform bills have been introduced and are now on their way.
Please take a minute right away to click on the bill numbers below and see whether your Representative and Senator have signed on as cosponsors.
If you do not see their names, give a quick call to their Harrisburg office [...]
The special education reform bills have been introduced and are now on their way.
Please take a minute right away to click on the bill numbers below and see whether your Representative and Senator have signed on as cosponsors.
If you do not see their names, give a quick call to their Harrisburg office and ask them to immediately cosponsor this legislation.
If your representative and senator are already listed as cosponsors, call them to say a big “Thank you!”
The new bill numbers are House Bill 704 (yes, the same number as last year) and Senate Bill 1115.
It’s been a while since we had news to report about special education reforms in the PA General Assembly. Well, now we have some really good news.
And we all need to get busy!
The major reform legislation helping students with disabilities that we all worked so hard on last year is being [...]
It’s been a while since we had news to report about special education reforms in the PA General Assembly. Well, now we have some really good news.
And we all need to get busy!
The major reform legislation helping students with disabilities that we all worked so hard on last year is being re-introduced in the PA Senate and House.
In 2010, House Bill 704 was passed by the House with bi-partisan support and came close to getting a vote in the Senate. We just ran out of time.
The bill fixes the distribution and accountability of state funding for special education, aimed at improving opportunities to learn for children with disabilities.
The same bill will now be re-introduced in both the Senate and the House, in the same form as it passed the House in 2010. Click here for a detailed summary. Continue reading »
Tagged with: reform • Rep. O'Neill • Rep. Sturla • Sen. Browne • Sen. Dinniman • special education funding
WHAT
Contact state Senator Dominic Pileggi, Majority Leader, and ask him to allow a vote on House Bill 704 for special education funding and accountability reforms.
WHO
All students, parents, advocates, and concerned citizens from ALL parts of Pennsylvania. (Especially, but not only folks in Chester and Delaware Counties.)
WHEN
Right now. [...]
WHAT
Contact state Senator Dominic Pileggi, Majority Leader, and ask him to allow a vote on House Bill 704 for special education funding and accountability reforms.
WHO
All students, parents, advocates, and concerned citizens from ALL parts of Pennsylvania. (Especially, but not only folks in Chester and Delaware Counties.)
WHEN
Right now. The official legislative session will end in a couple of weeks, so we could run out of time for this year if things are delayed.
HOW
Call Senator Pileggi’s Harrisburg office at (717) 787-4712 and leave a detailed message. Also, send him a polite and personal e-mail to dpileggi@pasen.gov.
WHY
On September 21 the Senate Education Committee held a hearing about HB 704. The Committee indicated that they will only vote for HB 704 if Senator Pileggi, as the Senate Majority Leader, first gives his approval for a vote both in Committee and on the Senate floor. We have met with most senators and know that we can win these votes if Senator Pileggi allows them to happen during the next couple of weeks.
A Summary of HB 704 is linked in the right margin. Watch our video from the 21st and hear what supporters are saying.
Tagged with: HB 704 • Sen. Pileggi • special educaiton funding • special education • students with disablities
The Senate Education Committee will meet and discuss our legislation for special education funding and accountability reforms, HB 704, at –
10:00 a.m. on Tuesday, September 21 in Room 8, East Wing, Capitol Building in Harrisburg.
Representative Sturla (our lead sponsor) will testify and present the bill to the Committee for consideration.
The East Wing [...]
The Senate Education Committee will meet and discuss our legislation for special education funding and accountability reforms, HB 704, at –
10:00 a.m. on Tuesday, September 21 in Room 8, East Wing, Capitol Building in Harrisburg.
Representative Sturla (our lead sponsor) will testify and present the bill to the Committee for consideration.
The East Wing is directly behind the main Capitol building, down an escalator and to the right.
PLEASE ATTEND THIS HEARING. BRING OTHERS WITH YOU. This is our one big chance in the Senate before the end of the year.
Consider scheduling a meeting or two with state senators from your area, after the hearing on Tuesday. Staff for your senator(s) are likely to be available, even on short notice.
Tagged with: HB 704 • Rep. Sturla • senate education committee • special education • special education funding
ATTENTION: Disability Advocates, Parents, and Concerned Citizens
The Senate Education Committee will hold a hearing at 10:00 a.m., Tuesday, September 21, 2010 on House Bill 704. The hearing will take place in Room 8, East Wing, Capitol Building. We’re encouraging people to attend and show their support.
House Bill 704 is [...]
ATTENTION: Disability Advocates, Parents, and Concerned Citizens
The Senate Education Committee will hold a hearing at 10:00 a.m., Tuesday, September 21, 2010 on House Bill 704. The hearing will take place in Room 8, East Wing, Capitol Building. We’re encouraging people to attend and show their support.
House Bill 704 is our legislation for special education funding and accountability reforms. The bill makes important improvements to benefit the education of children with disabilities.
The Pennsylvania House of Representatives approved HB 704 in June by an overwhelming vote of 173 to 25. The bill is now in the Senate. At the hearing, Representative Sturla (our lead sponsor) will testify and present the bill to the Committee for consideration. It’s important we show our strength at this hearing.
For more information about attending the hearing contact the Education Law Center’s Baruch Kintisch or Sandy Zelno.
Our bill for special education funding and accountability reform (House Bill 704) passed the whole State House of Representatives on June 23, 2010 by a vote of 173 to 25.
Click here to see how your representative voted.
Together, we made this happen when everyone else said it couldn’t. Let’s keep working and [...]
Our bill for special education funding and accountability reform (House Bill 704) passed the whole State House of Representatives on June 23, 2010 by a vote of 173 to 25.
Click here to see how your representative voted.
Together, we made this happen when everyone else said it couldn’t. Let’s keep working and see if we can get the bill passed into law with the state budget by mid-July.
Stay tuned for further action steps.
For now, please consider the following immediate actions:
(1) Call or e-mail your state representatives and thank them for voting for HB 704. They are currently in their Harrisburg offices. Find their contact information here.
(2) If you have not signed our online petition, this would be a good time to do so.
(3) Consider adding your comments about HB 704 on our online discussion page.
Your tireless efforts are most appreciated.
VOICES OF SUPPORT
2010 video from Senate hearing on special education reform legislation
PAGES
SPECIAL EDUCATION FUNDING
Q&A on Special Education Funding Reform
Read the full report:Costing-out Special Education Funding
Read the executive summary: Costing-out Study: Executive Summary
View statewide data report:
Pa. Data on Special EducationView a presentation on:HB 704
DRAFT: State Survey on Special Education Funding Formulas
SUPPORTING ORGANIZATIONS
There are approximately 40 organizations supporting special education funding reforms, including:
The full list of supporting organizations is on the About page.
CONTACTS
Education Law Center
In Philadelphia:
Baruch Kintisch
215-238-6970
bkintisch@elc-pa.org
In Pittsburgh:
Sandra Zelno
412-255-6414
szelno@elc-pa.orgDisability Rights Network of PA
Sallie Lynagh
1-800-390-1279
slynagh@drnpa.orgThe Arc of Pennsylvania
Pam Klipa
717-234-2621
pklipa@thearcpa.orgGood Schools Pennsylvania
Janis Risch
215-332-2700
janis@goodschoolspa.orgCATEGORIES
- Action Items (26)
- Media (19)
- News (37)
- Organizing (6)
TAGS
Above Average Jane charters coalition Education Law Center funding Harrisburg HB 11 HB704 HB 704 hearing hearings House House Education Committee Lancaster Lancaster County Lebanon Lehigh Valley map Media notebook Organizing parent Pennsylvania philadelphia Pittsburgh Pocono Record Pottstown reform Rep. McCall Rep. McIlvaine-Smith Rep. O'Neill Rep. Roebuck Rep. Smith Rep. Sturla SB 940 SB 1115 Sen. Browne Sen. Dinniman Senate senate education committee special ed special education special education funding York Zahorchak
