Some Key Points in the Stimulus Bill for Special Education

This is not a complete analysis.  The final stimulus bill emerged February13 and it will take some time for a lot of people to look at it and determine how it works and interacts with the IDEA.  So, please do not read this as a final analysis or even a semi-final one.

Bill Provides Major Increase in Special Education Funding.  Overall, the bill will provide a major increase in special education funding, including $12.2 billion total for IDEA.  This includes $11.2 billion for IDEA Part B, $400 million for IDEA preschool funding, and $500 million for Part C.  This is in addition to the regular Part B and Part C allocations.    
 
Two Sources of Funding to School Districts.  In the stimulus bill, school districts will get 2 different kinds of money: additional IDEA funds for 2009-10 and then stabilization funds.  The increase in IDEA funding is a substantial increase.  Stabilization funds can be used for a broad variety of purposes, including special education and the school modernization you heard so much about in the press.  (Separately, there are also additional funds for Title I and other educational purposes.)

The stimulus bill has $11.3 million in Part B funds for FY 2009 and 2010.  It is possible these funds could be awarded in a lump sum to the states, which then will allocate them to school districts. 
 
Modernization/ADA Compliance.  State Stabilization funds can be used for school modernization.  Find out what your school district will do to ensure that school buildings are made ADA-compliant, and how to prioritize this goal.  Identify schools that need improvements to be ADA-compliant and advocate with your school board; help them understand why this is so crucial.

How to Find the Bill. The final bill is posted in several places.  The Stimulus bill's formal name is the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA).

One place the bill is posted the House Appropriations Committee website, http://appropriations.house.gov/
The provisions relating to special education, IDEA, and the Stabilization fund are in the Document marked Bill text  Division A: Appropriations.house.gov/pdf/Recovery_Bill_Div_A.pdf

The Education section begins on page 168 of the PDF (it says p.22 at the top but that's just the page of the section its in), and then the section relation to State Stabilization Funds and waiver begins on page 425 of the PDF, the Title named State Fiscal Stabilization Funds.

Council of Parents Attorneys and Advocates (COPAA) is a national voice for special education rights and advocacy
www.copaa.org

We take this opportunity to remind our readers that Susan Luger Associates, Inc. is the premiere advocacy service in the NYC metropolitan area. Events and activities that affect the special education community, whether its a judicial ruling, legislation, medical break-throughs, educational advances or operational changes by school districts, are reported to you.

 

To paraphrase Sy Syms, an educated (advocate, professional, educator, parent, interested party) is a tough cookie!

 

Regards,