Reform Special Education Funding
Currently viewing the tag: "Media"
The York Dispatch ran an op-ed from the Education Law Center today, explaining the hold harmless provision of House Bill 704:
PA_students_with_disabilities_deserve_better
OP-ED: Pa. students with disabilities deserve better
Updated: 07/15/2010 01:12:15 PM EDT
There’s been a lot written recently about a piece of legislation that would create new state laws for special education funding [...]
The York Dispatch ran an op-ed from the Education Law Center today, explaining the hold harmless provision of House Bill 704:
PA_students_with_disabilities_deserve_better
OP-ED: Pa. students with disabilities deserve better
Updated: 07/15/2010 01:12:15 PM EDT
There’s been a lot written recently about a piece of legislation that would create new state laws for special education funding and accountability.
Let’s be clear: The reforms in House Bill 704 are needed because special education was left out when the General Assembly enacted basic education reforms in 2008. Students with disabilities should not be left out of these important reforms and deserve better. These children have waited long enough for the state to pay attention to their needs. The Senate should act before the end of the year to consider and approve HB 704.
Under HB 704, state funding for special education will be distributed based on the actual needs of students and schools. Schools will be held accountable for effectively investing these resources, without creating excessive bureaucracy or paperwork requirements. HB 704 also revises the reforms made for basic education to better match the needs of the special education system and to reflect the lessons learned since 2008. These are huge steps for improving educational outcomes for students with disabilities.
Continue reading »
Special education funding reform is “long overdue,” says the Beaver County Times in their editorial from Sunday, June 27, 2010:
It’s about time
The state House has taken a first step toward revamping the funding formula for special education.
While that is a positive step forward, getting to this point should not have been so [...]
Special education funding reform is “long overdue,” says the Beaver County Times in their editorial from Sunday, June 27, 2010:
It’s about time
The state House has taken a first step toward revamping the funding formula for special education.
While that is a positive step forward, getting to this point should not have been so hard or taken so long. As important as this legislation is, it shows how woefully ineffective the General Assembly can be, even in righting a mistake that’s been apparent for almost two decades.
The current funding formula has been around since 1991, and it has a serious flaw – it has no basis in reality. It assumes that 16 percent of the students in every district in the commonwealth are special-need children and bases reimbursement on that percentage. If a district has more than 16 percent, it’s too bad. Local taxpayers have to pick up the added tab.
Continue reading »
Bill alters special-ed funding
Sunday, June 27, 2010
By BRIAN WALLACE, Lancaster Intelligencer Journal Staff Writer
The state House has approved a new funding formula for special-education services, but the bill doesn’t include the mandated funding increases hoped for by some school officials and advocates for the disabled.
In fact, the bill’s sponsor, state Rep. [...]
Bill alters special-ed funding
Sunday, June 27, 2010
By BRIAN WALLACE, Lancaster Intelligencer Journal Staff Writer
The state House has approved a new funding formula for special-education services, but the bill doesn’t include the mandated funding increases hoped for by some school officials and advocates for the disabled.
In fact, the bill’s sponsor, state Rep. Mike Sturla of Lancaster, said state special-ed subsidies are likely to be frozen at 2008-09 levels for the next two years.
What House Bill 704 would do is assure that whatever money is available for special-education services each year goes to the school districts that need it most, Sturla said.
Continue reading »
Tagged with: HB 704 • Lancaster • Media • Rep. Sturla • special education • special education funding
HB 704 has gotten some press following its approval by the House. Check back for more!
Administrators hope bill will bring fairness to special education
By Amy Crawford
TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Thursday, June 24, 2010
A bill that would change the way state special education funding is distributed to school districts was approved by the [...]
HB 704 has gotten some press following its approval by the House. Check back for more!
Administrators hope bill will bring fairness to special education
By Amy Crawford
TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Thursday, June 24, 2010
A bill that would change the way state special education funding is distributed to school districts was approved by the House of Representatives yesterday, giving hope to administrators who say the system shortchanges districts with the most special needs students.
“This is a good day,” said Ed Maritz, a Sto-Rox school director who has advocated for special education funding reform for more than a decade. “It’s about time that we got some fairness in special education.”
Currently, Pennsylvania calculates subsidies for special education by assuming that 16 percent of students in each district have disabilities. The average is about 15.5 percent, but some districts have much higher numbers.
In Sto-Rox, for example, more than a quarter of students have disabilities. With a budget of about $24 million, the district spends about $3.5 million on special education, only $1 million of which comes from the state.
Continue reading »
Read the special education funding reform article in the latest edition of the Philadelphia Public School Notebook:
Read the special education funding reform article in the latest edition of the Philadelphia Public School Notebook:
VOICES OF SUPPORT
2010 video from Senate hearing on special education reform legislation
PAGES
SPECIAL EDUCATION FUNDING
Q&A on Special Education Funding Reform
The Bill: HB 2
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
Brett Schaeffer
bschaeffer@elc-pa.orgThe Arc of Pennsylvania
Pam Klipa
pklipa@thearcpa.orgDisability Rights Network of PA
Sallie Lynagh
slynagh@drnpa.orgCATEGORIES
- Action Items (31)
- Media (19)
- News (50)
- Organizing (7)
TAGS
Above Average Jane charters coalition Education Law Center funding Harrisburg HB 2 HB2 HB 11 HB 704 HB704 hearing hearings House House Education Committee Lancaster Lancaster County map Media notebook Organizing parent Pennsylvania philadelphia Pittsburgh Pocono Record Pottstown reform Rep. McIlvaine-Smith Rep. O'Neill Rep. Roebuck Rep. Sturla SB 940 SB 1115 Sen. Browne Sen. Dinniman Senate senate education committee special ed special educaiton funding special education special education funding special education funding reform York Zahorchak
