BACKGROUND
HB 704 and SB 940 will fix the state funding and accountability systems for special education.  The state formula has completely broken down.  Many school districts do not receive a fair share of state funding and are not held fully accountable for effectively investing special education resources.

There are a few key improvements to HB 704.

Here’s the formal Summary:

Current Contents of House Bill 704 (65 co-sponsors) & Senate Bill 940 (15 co-sponsors)
(as introduced, as adopted 22-3 and amended in the House Education Committee, and reflecting a negotiated agreement between Governor Rendell and the bill sponsors)
SUMMARY – The updated provisions of the legislation for state reform of the special education funding and accountability systems make the following
improvements:

• Increase the accuracy of the special education formula by using three weights;
• Establish an open oversight/regulatory process to set the final formula weights;
• Hold spending at 2008-09 levels for the next year;
• Delay the 6-year phase in to adequate funding levels, set to start in 2011-12;
• Streamline and strengthen school district accountability, applied when new funding occurs in 2011; and
• Strengthen the Contingency Fund and make it more accountable and transparent.

Nearly 400 school districts are underfunding special education

In 2008, Pennsylvania adopted a landmark funding formula for basic education, putting more dollars into the neediest schools and implementing rigorous accountability measures for school districts. However, special education students have been left out of the equation.

A coalition of groups is now sending the message that it’s time for the General Assembly to approach special education funding with the same sharp eye its members approached basic education funding in 2008.

House Bill 704 and Senate Bill 940 have strong bipartisan support and are ready to be adopted.

Go to the About page to read the campaign’s  Core Principles.

State Reps. Mike Sturla, D-Lancaster; Barbara McIlvaine Smith, D-Chester; James Roebuck, D-Philadelphia; and  Keith McCall (D-Carbon) were among the 65 co-sponsors of legislation approved today making the state’s special education funding formula more equitable and strengthening accountability for effective investment of new funding.

Representatives Roebuck and McIlvaine Smith were among the 22 Education Committee members approving the legislation. House Bill 704 aims to close the state’s share of the $380 million adequacy gap over a period of six years and to base state funding to school districts on a district’s five-year average of actual students enrolled in special education.

“I am proud to see the House Education Committee today approve House Bill 704,” Rep. Sturla said. “We are one step closer to providing comprehensive accountability and equitable funding for all special education students.”

The Right to Education local task force at Midwestern Intermediate Unit IV recently voted to join the list of groups supporting special education funding reform.  Welcome!

Sen. Dinniman (D-19) yesterday introduced SB 940, a nearly identical version of HB 704, that would reform special education funding and accountability in Pennsylvania.

Senator Dinniman is preparing to introduce his version of the bill for special education funding and accountability reform. The bill should be introduced late on Monday afternoon, June 1.

Thus – Senator Dinniman needs our help TODAY, Friday and Monday morning. We need to help him sign up lots of senators to co-sponsor the bill.

Please take the following actions:

• First, call all senators that you know and ask them to call Senator Dinniman’s office TODAY and co-sponsor the special education bill. (The bill will not have a number until it is introduced.)

• Second, please issue a strong alert throughout your entire network for all individuals to call or e-mail their own state senator, asking the legislator to call Senator Dinniman’s office TODAY and co-sponsor the special education bill. (The bill will not have a number until it is introduced.)

Use the following talking points:

1. Please call Senator Dinniman’s office and co-sponsor the special education bill.  The bill will be introduced late on Monday afternoon, June 1.
2. I am asking you to support reform of the state funding and accountability system for special education.
3. The current funding system is broken, is unfair, and does not provide enough resources for special education in the right places.  It sets the number of students eligible for state funding for special education at 16% regardless of whether the 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.
4. I am your constituent and I have personal experience with how this broken system hurts children with disabilities and all students.

Thank you for taking quick action on this important issue.  We are making great progress; the House version of the bill (H.B. 704) is up to 64 co-sponsors and had a successful hearing this month.

Last week, members of the coalition to reform special education funding in Pennsylvania testified before the House Education Committee.

We’ve previously published a summary of the testimony. Now, we’ve made the presentation document available . It offers thorough details on the history of special education funding in Pennsylvania and underscores the need to establish a fair funding and accountability formula. This is excellent material for use at a community meeting, so feel free to download and print copies.

HB 704 Presentation

House Education Committee Hearing on HB 704 - Wednesday, May 6

Pennsylvania Legislative Services has a recap of yesterday’s Education Committee Hearing.

COMMITTEE NEWS
House Education Committee
9:00 a.m., 5/6/09, Room G-50 Irvis Office Building
By Matt Hess
The committee held a public hearing on HB 704.
HB 704 Sturla – (PN 1651) Amends Public School Code, in reimbursement by Commonwealth and between school districts, further providing for definitions; and outlining a funding formula for special education for student achievement and instruction of eligible students in regular classrooms; and providing for special education accountability to Commonwealth taxpayers. The Department of Education shall submit a report to the Governor and General Assembly recommending increased standards and the General Assembly shall consider legislation revising the criteria, in any year in which 75% of all school districts meet the criteria and qualify for the 1.15 factor for funding. The Department of Education shall determine the form and manner in which school districts shall submit a special education plan and revisions, updates and amendments to the special education plan.

House Education Committee members at yesterday’s hearing asked how other states are funding special education. The Education Law Center’s David Lapp researched other states’ special education funding and presented a synopsis of his findings to the committee members, noting how many of our neighboring states have adopted a funding formula very similar to the one proposed in HB 704.

David’s full report is here: DRAFT: State Survey of Special Education Funding Formulas.