Federal Gov. builds us up & Lets us down

Those of us working for Promise the Children are pleased that disabled children must receive an adequate education because of the federal mandates in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA Act). But the Federal Government has let us down. Congress has never voted adequate funding for the Act mandating education of those with disabilities, the IDEA Act.

By law individuals with disabilities must receive an adequate education. The federal government gives grants to state and local agencies based on the number of eligible children and on the number of eligible children living in poverty. The actual formulae is much more complicated than this, but the end result is that IDEA is under-funded by the Federal Government and the state or local government have to make up the difference.

When IDEA was enacted, it was estimated that children with disabilities cost approximately twice as much to educate as other children. Congress took that estimate figure into account when setting the maximum federal contribution at 40 percent of state average per pupil expenditure. Congress has never contributed even half the per pupil cost.

As more children are eligible for assistance because of the IDEA Act, their education brings parents and voters into conflict about local school budgets. Towns are faced with voting on an override to the real estate tax cap in order to fund the extra cost of transporting and educating disabled children, and also on updating curricula and teacher training.

Children must learn more so they may compete in today’s international, technological world market. How can we encourage voters to recognize how serious this is?

Would you vote for a tax override in your town to support better education?
Read more – Background & Analysis | Federal Education Budget/
A Theory of Everything (Sort Of)/ by Thomas Friedman

Posted by Becky on 08/22/11  •  Comments 0   •