Reform Special Education Funding
Currently viewing the tag: "Pennsylvania"
1. What is the purpose and history of special education funding and accountability reform?
The legislation — which will have a new bill number in the coming weeks — addresses the current problems with the state systems for funding and accountability of special education for students with disabilities. The Commonwealth benefits when all students are educated and prepared for meaningful employment, higher education, and self-sufficiency.
The legislation does the following:
o Provide an effective formula to distribute state funding for special education, without creating compulsory annual targets or limiting the discretion of the General Assembly;
o Increase the accuracy of the special education formula by using three weights;
o Establish a transparent process to set the final formula weights through a legislative commission and subsequent regulation;
o Maintain spending at 2008-09 levels for 2010-11 if insufficient funds are appropriated;
o Streamline and strengthen school district accountability without imposing excess bureaucracy, applied when sufficient funds are appropriated in future years; and
o Maintain the Contingency Fund and make it more accountable and transparent.
We’ll have updates on this legislation in the coming weeks.
Thanks to all of the supporters who have worked hard on this effort to improve Pennsylvania’s special education funding system.
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.
Here’s a clear, one-page outline of the history of Pennsylvania’s special education funding.
