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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 19, 2001

News Release

Key Education Groups Make Plea For Special Ed

Education bill conferees face historic opportunity to make good on promise

Washington, D.C. - In an extraordinary show of educator unity, the National Education Association, the American Association of School Administrators and the National School Boards Association vowed to hold Congress accountable for the federal promise to adequately fund special education. As House and Senate education bill conferees prepare to meet today, the three central education groups sent a letter to conferees making an urgent plea to include guaranteed full funding for special education in the final version of the bill ironed out in conference. "This is an historic opportunity to make good on the federal promise to ensure a quality education for all students, including those with special needs," said NEA President Bob Chase.

Guaranteed full funding for special education passed in the Senate version and demonstrates a bipartisan commitment to help every child achieve. A similar provision was not included in the House version. "Under the Senate version, school districts will no longer have to choose between making needed school repairs or updating equipment and providing quality special education," said Chase. "The Senate has recognized that students with disabilities deserve more than an empty promise." To see how IDEA funding to your state or Congressional District would increase under the Senate version of ESEA, visit www.nea.org/lac.

Currently federal appropriations fall far short of the federal government's commitment to help meet the cost of educating students with disabilities. The federal share is supposed to be 40 percent, but only about 15 percent is actually funded. The Senate bill would "ramp up" investments over six years to the level promised when the program was developed almost 30 years ago. Local schools were shortchanged $11 billion in special education funding this year alone. Providing a quality education for all students, including those with disabilities, requires a federal-state-local partnership.

The education leaders also warned that shrinking state budgets would mean dire consequences for education, particularly in the face of costly testing and accountability systems. "If education is truly a top priority for this President and Congress, now is the chance to show it," said Chase. "This is an historic opportunity to fulfill the federal government's commitment to ensuring the highest quality education for all students," said Chase. "Without additional federal resources for special education, children will be left behind."

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The National Education Association is the nation’s largest professional employee organization, representing 2.7 million elementary and secondary teachers, higher education faculty, education support professionals, school administrators, retired educators, and students preparing to become teachers.