Reform Special Education Funding
Currently viewing the tag: "SB 1115"
The Education Law Center’s critical special education reform bill — SB 1115 — will not move forward in the state legislature. The 2011-12 session of the General Assembly is over. Special education legislation will need to start all over again next year when the new two-year legislative session begins.
The special education funding and accountability [...]
The Education Law Center’s critical special education reform bill — SB 1115 — will not move forward in the state legislature. The 2011-12 session of the General Assembly is over. Special education legislation will need to start all over again next year when the new two-year legislative session begins.
The special education funding and accountability reforms contained in SB 1115 should have been adopted and signed into law. Those reforms were approved three different times by the full Senate and twice by the full House of Representatives, as well as receiving nearly unanimous committee votes on dozens of occasions. Unfortunately, other things were also put into SB 1115 at the last minute, such as charter school provisions.
At this time, state officials are more interested in education issues other than special education. Children with disabilities made it close to the top of the list of legislative priorities, but charter school reform and special appropriations for a community college were more important to the people in power.
The individuals and organizations that worked so hard on this legislation deserve enormous thanks and recognition. They helped to craft the reforms contained in these bills; testified at hearings; and visited legislators to tell them about the need for special education reforms.
Stay tuned for future updates and plans for the next legislative session.
We’re so close!
Senate Bill 1115 is the legislation we have worked on together for almost five years, and it’s close to final passage.
The legislation establishes a new funding formula and accountability system for special education and children with disabilities in Pennsylvania public schools. The bill creates a Legislative Commission on Special [...]
We’re so close!
Senate Bill 1115 is the legislation we have worked on together for almost five years, and it’s close to final passage.
The legislation establishes a new funding formula and accountability system for special education and children with disabilities in Pennsylvania public schools. The bill creates a Legislative Commission on Special Education that will work to implement the final version of a special education funding formula in the first few months of 2013.
SB 1115 passed both the House and Senate in June, but final passage was held up over the summer when charter school reforms were amended into the bill.
The bill is moving again and was approved yesterday by the Senate Rules Committee. The full Senate is expected to vote on SB 1115 today, with final passage in the House slated for Wednesday.
The Rules Committee strengthened the special education reforms in the bill. The Committee fixed over two dozen problems that we had identified. One of the new improvements fully restores the instructions for the Legislative Commission on Special Education about implementing a new special education funding formula. This is great news.
The charter school reforms have been changed and no longer include a state authorizer, automatic conversion triggers, exclusions from the Right to Know law, or the other expansive proposals that were controversial. Other problems still exist with the charter language, including the failure to address the real issues of children with disabilities who are often excluded from the charter school system in Pennsylvania.
Some advocates may want to speak up about the problems that remain with the charter school provisions in the bill. We hope that you will support SB 1115 because of the historic special education reforms.
Thank you for your dedication to these issues.
Attached are five important documents related to the advocacy work on special education funding and accountability reform.
A summary of Senate Bill 1115, special education reform legislation A voting history of the special education reform legislation from past two years A postscript of the politics [...]
Attached are five important documents related to the advocacy work on special education funding and accountability reform.
- A summary of Senate Bill 1115, special education reform legislation
- A voting history of the special education reform legislation from past two years
- A postscript of the politics that hindered adoption of the legislation in June
- A copy of a letter special education advocates recently sent to Gov. Corbett
- Talking points for contacting legislators and asking them to support this critical reform when it comes up for a vote in September.
If you have any questions, contact Brett Schaeffer at the Education Law Center: bschaeffer@elc-pa.org.
SpecialEdReformPOSTSCRIPT_7_1_12
Our special education reform legislation, Senate Bill 1115, has become an unfortunate example of how the most vulnerable students always lose when politics interferes with education policy. SB 1115 was not adopted with the annual budget by the June 30 deadline. The General Assembly will consider the special education reforms later in 2012, after the [...]
Our special education reform legislation, Senate Bill 1115, has become an unfortunate example of how the most vulnerable students always lose when politics interferes with education policy. SB 1115 was not adopted with the annual budget by the June 30 deadline. The General Assembly will consider the special education reforms later in 2012, after the summer recess. The Corbett Administration may have different ideas for special education reforms and may not accept the core principles reflected in SB 1115.
Although this is a major disappointment, parent advocates and disability groups are encouraged to stay engaged to overcome the obstacles to improving special education policy and practices. To learn more about why this happened and what we can do, click here.
HELP NEEDED FOR SPECIAL ED BILL THIS WEEK. CALL YOUR STATE REPRESENTATIVE TODAY.
Due to strong advocate support, special education reforms to benefit children with disabilities passed the Pennsylvania House Education Committee on Monday, June 18. Thanks to all of the advocates who helped make this happen.
The comprehensive legislation for special education funding and [...]
HELP NEEDED FOR SPECIAL ED BILL THIS WEEK. CALL YOUR STATE REPRESENTATIVE TODAY.
Due to strong advocate support, special education reforms to benefit children with disabilities passed the Pennsylvania House Education Committee on Monday, June 18. 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 has already passed the Senate.
The next step for SB 1115 is a vote in the full House tomorrow — June 20. The bill could then achieve final adoption along with the annual budget by June 30. Monday’s vote is great progress, but there’s a bit more work to do.
PLEASE CALL YOUR STATE REPRESENTATIVE TODAY.
Follow the instructions below for contacting legislators about this important bill.
1. Find the Harrisburg office phone number and e-mail address of the your state representative here — http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/legis/home/findyourlegislator/#address.
2. Call their Harrisburg office and leave a message, asking for a vote in favor of SB 1115, and noting that the House Education Committee unanimously passed the bill on Monday.
Thanks to all of the groups and their members for getting involved and making this happen for children with disabilities.
Tagged with: House Education Committee • Pennsylvania • SB 1115 • special education • special education funding
SB 1115 bill, legislation to reform special education funding and accountability, is scheduled for a vote in the House Education Committee at 11 a.m. on Monday, June 18.
The Committee vote is in Room 60 East Wing, directly next to the cafeteria in the capitol. Click here for more information – [...]
SB 1115 bill, legislation to reform special education funding and accountability, is scheduled for a vote in the House Education Committee at 11 a.m. on Monday, June 18.
The Committee vote is in Room 60 East Wing, directly next to the cafeteria in the capitol. Click here for more information – http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/cteeInfo/cteeCMS.cfm?body=H&cde=12.
The Pennsylvania Senate passed an important special education reform bill on June 4 by near unanimous vote.
The hard work of more than 40 disability advocacy organizations on special education funding and accountability reform has paid off. It’s a great victory, and it brings Pennsylvania one step closer to making [...]
The Pennsylvania Senate passed an important special education reform bill on June 4 by near unanimous vote.
The hard work of more than 40 disability advocacy organizations on special education funding and accountability reform has paid off. It’s a great victory, and it brings Pennsylvania one step closer to making historic progress for children with disabilities.
The House is expected to vote on the bill in the next week.
HELP NEEDED FOR SPECIAL ED BILL THIS WEEK. CALL YOUR STATE SENATOR BEFORE NEXT WEEK’S VOTE! SEE BELOW FOR DETAILS.
Due to strong advocate support, special education reforms to benefit children with disabilities passed the Pennsylvania Senate Appropriations Committee on Tuesday, May 22. Thanks to all of the advocates who helped make this happen.
The [...]
HELP NEEDED FOR SPECIAL ED BILL THIS WEEK. CALL YOUR STATE SENATOR BEFORE NEXT WEEK’S VOTE! SEE BELOW FOR DETAILS.
Due to strong advocate support, special education reforms to benefit children with disabilities passed the Pennsylvania Senate Appropriations Committee on Tuesday, May 22. 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 full State Senate on June 4. Following the Senate’s favorable vote, the bill is scheduled to go to the House and then achieve final adoption along with the annual budget by June 30. Last week’s vote is great progress, but obviously there’s more work to do.
PLEASE CALL YOUR STATE SENATOR TODAY, THURSDAY, OR FRIDAY THIS WEEK.
Follow the instructions below for contacting legislators about this important bill.
1. Find the Harrisburg office phone number and e-mail address of the your state senator here – http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/legis/home/findyourlegislator/#address.
2. Call their Harrisburg office and leave a message, asking for a vote in favor of SB 1115, and noting that THE SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE UNANIMOUSLY PASSED THE BILL LAST WEEK.
Thanks to all of the groups and their members for getting involved and making this happen 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 today and ask for a vote in favor of Senate Bill 1115. THE SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE VOTES TODAY AND THE FULL SENATE VOTES ON WEDNESDAY.
Even in this [...]
Make a phone call today to improve special education for students with disabilities in Pennsylvania!
Call or e-mail your state senator today and ask for a vote in favor of Senate Bill 1115. THE SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE VOTES TODAY AND THE FULL SENATE VOTES ON WEDNESDAY.
Even in this tough year, we are close to making historic progress for children with disabilities.
SB 1115 is reform legislation for special education funding and accountability. More than 40 groups have worked to enact these positive reforms for several years, and the bill is now getting close to final passage.
Find the Harrisburg office phone number and e-mail address of the state senators here – http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/legis/home/findyourlegislator/#address.
E-mail or call their Harrisburg office and leave a message, asking for a vote in favor of SB 1115.
Thanks to all of the groups and their members 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 this week.”
• “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 percent 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 this week.”
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.
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
