Action Alert and Request for Letters Regarding Funding for Public Schools/Special Education

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(taken from an action alert)

The current school finance bill, HB 2, is not good for special education

funding. The House Public Education committee plans to have the bill passed out

of its committee by the end of next week, Feb. 25. There will be amendments

made during the committee meetings next week. However, at this point I am not

optimistic that they will make the necessary changes to restore special

education to even its current level.

HB 2 significantly changes how special education would be funded by the state.

For nearly 20 years, special education has been funded as a series of weights

that work as multipliers to the basic allotment the state provides for all

students. This means that each time the basic allotment has been raised,

special education funding has risen proportionately because the

multiplier/weight was applied to the increased rate. HB 2 removes those weights

and replaces them with a fixed amount of money. Therefore, future increases in

funding for all students would not automatically generate

additional special education funding. The legislature would have to

separately raise special education funding levels. SPECIAL EDUCATION NEEDS TO

REMAIN FUNDED THHROUGH A SYSTEM OF WEIGHTS ATTACHED TO THE BASIC ALLOTMENT FOR

ALL STUDENTS. There is no reason to change the current system.

The other changes in the special education funding system will, upon

implementation, result in anywhere from a 20%-40% cut in state special education

funding. FUNDING LEVELS FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION SHOULD NOT BE DECREASED.

Finally, the dollar amount in HB 2 assigned to students served in the Mainstream

(full day in regular education) is $254. That is over $2000 less than a student

currently served in the Mainstream generates. What this would do to Inclusion

is clear. THE MAINSTREAM WEIGHT NEEDS TO GENERATE AT LEAST AS MUCH MONEY IN A

NEW SYSTEM AS IT DOES NOW. In fact, this would be a good time to increase the

Mainstream weight since under the requirements

of Now Child Left Behind more special education students will be taking the TAKS

test and districts will be held accountable for their passing rates.

Current members of the House Public Education committee are: Kent

Grusendorf (Chair and author of HB 2), Rene Oliveira, Dan Branch, Dianne Delisi,

Harold Dutton, Rob Eissler, Schott Hochberg, Bill Keffer and Mowery. All

can be reached through the capitol operator at 512/463-4630. Ask to speak to

the aide working on Public School Finance.

The TEAM Project -

www.TexasAutismAdvocacy.org