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.

A good column on HB 704 from the Reading Eagle‘s David Mekeel:

David Mekeel: Changes to special ed-funding needed

For two decades, public school districts have received state funding for special education the same way.

State Rep. P. Michael Sturla hopes to change that.

The Lancaster County Democrat has authored a bill that would fundamentally change special-education funding – eventually.

“The system has basically been flawed since it was changed 20 years ago,” Sturla said. “It makes the incorrect assumption that 16 percent of all students across the board have special needs.”

The state budget was finalized on time, much faster than anyone expected. Click here to read ELC’s budget analysis.

State funding for special education was not cut for 2010-11. Every school district will get the same state funding it received in 2008-09 and 2009-10. Your advocacy on House Bill 704 deserves credit for protecting this line item in the budget, which avoided the cuts absorbed by most other programs. Of course, you are well aware that the high inflation rate for many special education services and programs threatens the needs of children even with “flat” funding.

The quick resolution of the budget means that there was not enough time for the sponsors of House Bill 704 to negotiate with the Senate about approving the special education reforms. We will work over the summer so that the Senate can promptly hold hearings and vote on HB 704 in September.

Thank you for hanging in there for a couple of extra months. With your help, we should see our legislation signed into law while the flowers are still blooming in September and before the leaves start falling from the trees.

Check back here for updates during July and August. Click on the links in the right margin to read the summary of the changes made in HB 704 as the House voted to approve the bill in June.

Let us know what else we can do to support your work.

The York Dispatch’s Education Reporter Andrew Shaw published a story Monday on the House passage of HB 704:

Special_ed_funding_change_passes_in_Pa._House

Read the full story:

Special ed funding change passes in Pa. House

ANDREW SHAW | The York Dispatch

Updated:06/28/2010 01:04:41 PM EDT

Special education funding reform is now before the state Senate after a bill that would greatly change the funding formula was passed by the House.

The House last week overwhelmingly approved a bill, 173-25, that would move Pennsylvania away from a flat funding method.

State Rep. Will Tallman, R-Reading Township, was the lone York County dissenter.

Tallman said he supports increased special education funding but believes the state is adding too much additional oversight.

School districts have been getting special education funding based on the assumption each district has 16 percent of its total enrollment in special education. That formula has been in place since 1991, according to state Rep. Mike Sturla, D-Lancaster, who developed the bill.

Under the proposed legislation, school districts would receive funding based on the number of special-education students they have, as well as on factors such as district poverty level.

Special education funding reform is “long overdue,” says the Beaver County Times in their editorial from Sunday, June 27, 2010:

It’s about time

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.

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

House Bill 704 received unanimous support on Tuesday, June 22 from the State House of Representatives – 199 to 0.  Click here to see the vote totals.

This was not the final passage of the bill, but was something called “second consideration.”  However, Tuesday’s vote was the biggest hurdle.  And you did it!

The vote on final passage will be after 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday. Watch here.  The bill is expected to be overwhelmingly approved on final passage, although some representatives may vote against it.

Thank you for all of your wonderful efforts in support of special education funding and accountability reform.  Together, we all played a big role in making this happen.  Every phone call and e-mail was heard, and added up to a powerful voice on behalf of children with disabilities.

There are a few next steps before HB 704 is enacted into law.  We want the bill to be adopted by the full General Assembly along with the budget this year, which could take place by the middle of July.

We will let you know about those next steps over the next few days.

For now, please consider the following immediate actions:

(1)  Call or e-mail your state representatives and thank them for voting for HB 704.  They are currently in their Harrisburg offices.  Find their contact information here.

(2)  If you have not signed our online petition, this would be a good time to do so.

(3)  Consider adding your comments about HB 704 on my online discussion page.

Thank you for proving that collaborative action can make positive things happen.  Let’s keep up our efforts until HB 704 is signed into law.

An excellent Op-Ed from Greg Knox of the Arc appeared in Sunday’s York Daily Record:

Education bill needed
GREG KNOX

Elected officials in Harrisburg are demonstrating that they certainly can act as responsible public servants. In a time of political turmoil, that’s a very good sign.

What is bringing out the best in our leaders in the state Capitol? A bill addressing the educational needs of students with disabilities — House Bill 704.

This bill shouldn’t have a chance, given the difficulties of state government in these days. But the bill is only days away from being approved by the House of Representatives and moving on to prompt consideration in the Senate.

In a time when partisan tensions are common, HB 704 has 66 cosponsors from both parties and was approved by a bipartisan vote of 22 to 3 in the House Education Committee.

THE TOP PRIORITY REMAINS MAKING CALLS TO YOUR STATE REPRESENTATIVE.  SEE BELOW.

The whole State House of Representatives continues to move closer to a vote on House Bill 704. This is our legislation for reform of the state systems for special education funding and accountability.

Prior to this historic vote, a few extra days are needed for the bill sponsors to negotiate amendments with some other House members.

We have worked to develop and support HB 704 for nearly two years. This is a monumental step for students with disabilities and their schools.

Thank you for helping our online petition to gain more than 1,400 signatures. Forward this alert to others to add more signatures and comments to the petition.

Please take the following actions ASAP:

Contact Your State Representative

• Locate your state representative and contact information here — http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/legis/home/find.cfm.
• Call his or her Harrisburg office.
• Leave a phone message using the following talking points.
• Ask the state representative to call you back.
• Also send an e-mail using and personalizing the talking points. Call first.
• Do not call state senators or other officials.

Talking Points

1. Please vote for House Bill 704 when it comes to the House floor.  HB 704 deserves your support and a vote without amendments.
2. I am asking you to support reform of the state funding and accountability system for special education.
3. HB 704 has 66 bipartisan cosponsors. It was approved 22-3 by the House Education Committee.
4. 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.
5. The school districts you represent need additional resources and support from the state.
6. I am your constituent and I have personal experience with how this broken system hurts children with disabilities and all students. (Describe your experience.)
7. Thank you for supporting this important issue and voting for HB 704 this week.

Extra Help and Follow Up

For extra help, call Baruch Kintisch (215-238-6970 x 320) or Sandy Zelno (412-255-6414).

Send us an e-mail and let us know how your phone calls, e-mails, and letters turn out.

Additional Resources:

Summary of HB 704 (two-page summary)

Q&A on Special Education Funding Reform (4-page detailed information)

Thank you for getting involved and making good things happen for children with disabilities and all children.