Being aware of the current challenges in special education will help you prepare, advocate, and make decisions that support children with disabilities. This year is an important year in special education.
Important issues to be aware of include the following:
- Funding challenges-Less federal control/greater state control. Currently states receive just 13% of the 40% of their special education costs as promised by Congress with the passage of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) in 1975. This means that states and districts must offset over $20 billion annually to provide services to students with disabilities. IDEA provides formula grants to each state and requires the states to supervise local school districts to make sure that they follow the requirements in the law to educate students with disabilities. Proposed changes include changing how money is distributed and allow it to be used outside the public school system. This recommendation involves IDEA funding being converted into a “no-strings formula block grant targeted at students with disabilities” distributed by Health and Human Services’ Administration rather than the Department of Education. For those parents who feel their child’s current IEP and school district is not meeting all of their child’s educational needs could take their share IDEA funding to a private school instead decreasing the IDEA funds public schools receive. Current proposals to amend IDEA and turn IDEA funding into block grants would have devastating effects for students and parents. With block grants, states and local school districts would receive federal funds without protections. Turning IDEA funds into block grants could lead to the elimination of Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) and the loss of many students’ and parents’ rights under IDEA.
- Possible elimination of the Department of Education-Department of Education responsibilities such as overseeing the enforcement of IDEA compliance and Title I funding for low-income schools would be shifted to other departments. The Department of Education cannot be eliminated by an executive order, but dismantling it can make the work the department does very hard by gutting the department and decreasing staff. According to Article I of the Constitution, only Congress can shut down the Department of Education.
- School Choice-School choice supporters argue that school choice gives parents/families the power to provide the education they feel best meets all of their child’s educational needs. Opponents to school choice argue that it diverts funding away from public schools, which can lead to lack of access to resources including staff and equitable opportunities for students who remain in public school.
Below are some websites that provide information on the issues discussed above.
https://www.copaa.org/general/custom.asp?page=TakeAction
Project 2025 and the Disability Community