Jeff Hawkes’ piece in today’s Lancaster Intelligencer Journal made a great case for fixing PA’s broken special education funding system.

Here’s the link:

Special education funding formula inequity in action

Here’s an excerpt:

Pennsylvania for too long has stacked the deck against taxpayers in Columbia, Lancaster and other high-poverty communities where schools are burdened by greater than average numbers of students who require special education.

Political blogger Above Average Jane has a thoughtful post on HB 704.

Here’s the link: Special Education Update

Dan Berrett of the Pocono Record has a good piece today on what enacting HB 704 would mean for Monroe County schools.

Here’s the link:

Special-needs funding in Monroe County’s 4 school districts could get $500K boost

And the story:

Special-needs funding in Monroe County’s 4 school districts could get $500K boost
Bill would more fairly spread money
By Dan Berrett
Pocono Record Writer
July 02, 2009 6:00 AM

A half-million more dollars for special education could flow to the area’s four school districts if a new bill making its way through the state’s House of Representatives becomes law.

The proposed bill, House Bill 704, would rewrite the state’s funding formula for special-needs students in order to make it more equitable.

The bill was reported to the floor from the House Education Committee on Wednesday. It was sponsored by Rep. Mike Sturla, D-96, and had 65 co-sponsors, including Reps. John Siptroth, D-189, and Mike Carroll, D-118. Thirty-six advocacy groups, including the Education Law Center, Disability Rights Network, and Good Schools Pennsylvania, also back the measure.

The Bucks County Courier Times published an Op-Ed on HB 704:

Here’s the link: Special education funding falls short of meeting need

And here’s the article:

Special education funding falls short of meeting need
By: COLLEEN TOMKO AND BARUCH KINTISCH
Bucks County Courier Times

Next week the House Education Committee will vote on legislation fixing the state system for special education funding and accountability. House Bill 704, if enacted into law, would provide increased independence for children with disabilities by giving schools the resources they need to provide them with a quality education.

Pennsylvania last year adopted a landmark school funding formula for basic education, putting more dollars into the neediest schools and implementing rigorous accountability measures for school districts for the first time in 20 years. However, students who receive special education services were left out of the equation.

Our state legislators have heard – loud and clear – the message that it’s time to tackle funding and accountability reforms for students with disabilities, and have introduced legislation addressing many of the long-standing deficiencies in the state’s special education system.

There’s a great column on HB 704 by Jeff Hawkes in today’s Lancaster Intelligencer Journal.

Here’s an excerpt:

State Rep. Mike Sturla calls it “outdated, unfair and … an abuse.”
He could have called it absurd, too.
The target of his scorn is special-education funding in Pennsylvania.
The state, by law, must provide special-needs children with schooling that prepares them for work (or higher education) and for full participation as citizens.
But it appears the law is a weak stick in prodding lawmakers to do the right thing for kids with disabilities that get in the way of learning.

The Lancaster Intelligencer Journal ran an Op-Ed Monday, May 4 on HB 704, the story is after the jump:

“Jane” at aboveaveragejane.com wrote a good post on HB 704.

Here’s a snippet:

Some kids are in special education for physical reasons, others for social / behavioral, and still others for academic reasons. It is difficult for one single teacher to meet the needs of all these categories. A smaller teacher or aide / student ratio is needed; individualized programs are best when available / possible.

The full post is here.

Rep. Sturla introduces HB 704

A news brief from the AP was picked up in a few papers; Eleanor Chute from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette did a news brief and longer piece; and Brian Wallace at the Lancaster Intelligencer Journal did a longer piece quoting Sturla and Baruch.

Chute’s piece: Proposed bill would change special education funding formula

Wallace’s piece:  Sturla: Boost special education

The brief appeared in the Philadelphia Inquirer, the Harrisburg Patriot-News, the Lebanon Daily News and Lehigh Valley Live – which is the Web site for the Easton Express Times and several other papers in that area.

Read the special education funding reform article in the latest edition of the Philadelphia Public School Notebook:

The Notebook: Spring 2009