Budget
Brief:
Fair Reimbursement for Special Education Costs
Background
Supporters
of public education are seeking a fair level of reimbursement for state-mandated
special education programs as part of the 2001-2003 state budget. School
administrators, educators, parents and local school board members have
joined to tell stories about how the lack of funding for special education
programs is harming the quality of education in their communities. Individuals
from various backgrounds appeared as panels at each of the Joint Finance
public hearings on the state budget and are now visiting with legislators
to seek fair state reimbursements for special education programs.
State and federal government mandate that schools
provide access to special education for all children in need of services,
but provide woefully inadequate funding to administer these programs
at the local level. This means schools often divert funds from regular
education programs to special education programs. The result is often
a lack of funds to adequately provide a good education for anyone. The
Legislature should help districts make sure that all children, no matter
what their needs, receive a top quality education.
The Wisconsin Education Association Council is part
of an Education Community Coalition supporting fair reimbursement for
special education costs. Other groups in the coalition include: the
Wisconsin PTA; the School Administrators Alliance; the Wisconsin Federation
of Teachers; the Institute for Wisconsin's Future; the Wisconsin Coalition
for Advocacy; and representatives from the Janesville, Madison and Milwaukee
school districts.
WEAC Position on Fair Reimbursement of Special
Education Costs
The current level of state reimbursement to school
districts for special education programs is approximately 35%. If no
additional funds are added to special education categorical aids in
the 2001-2003 state budget, the level of state reimbursement will drop
to approximately 32%.
WEAC is seeking the following level of support from
the state for special education funding:
- A state reimbursement rate of 40% for local special education costs.
The net impact of funding under the state's 2/3 commitment would be
$40 million in FY02 and $55 million in FY03.
- Adoption of the Department of Public Instruction budget request
for a "low-incidence high-cost reimbursement aid plan in special education.
The request would provide statutory language to specify that if a
school district, county, CESA or charter school operator incurs special
education costs for a pupil that equal or exceed three times the statewide
average special education cost per pupil, DPI would provide supplemental
aid for those costs beginning in the 2002-03 school year.
- Provide that the supplemental aid for low-incidence high-cost reimbursements
be equal to 90% of the amount by which the cost of providing special
education and additional costs (defined as nursing service and assistive
technology) to an individual child who exceeds three times the statewide
average per pupil cost after the deduction of categorical and federal
aid. DPI estimates that this provision would cost $26.1 million in
2002-03.
- Allow school districts to get reimbursement for pupils who qualify
under the low-incidence high-cost aid in the 2001-2002 school year
if funding is available.
Talking Points
- Rising costs in special education are beyond the control of school
districts. The alarming trend has only been made worse by revenue
caps. Aids received for special education fall outside the revenue
caps. When the state reduces these aids, it forces school districts
to allocate dollars from general education programs that fall under
the revenue caps to fund mandated special education programs. This
harms the quality of education in our communities.
- State reimbursement for special education costs will actually drop
to approximately 32% by the end of the 2002-2003 school year. The
federal government promises a 40% reimbursement level, yet the actual
rate is closer to 12%. The state should provide a reimbursement rate
of 40% to local school districts for special education programs. This
will strike a fair balance between state and local government who
must be partners in guaranteeing that all children receive access
to a great education. With this level of reimbursement, school districts
will be able to place all children in classrooms that work.
- Providing all children with access to a great school must be the
top priority for our government. In some rare low-incidence high-cost
cases, a child in need of special education services can cost many
times the statewide average to educate. A low-incidence high-cost
relief aid plan should be approved to help in these situations, which
can be devastating to schools under revenue caps.
For additional information
Please feel free to contact Bob Burke, WEAC Legislative
Coordinator, at 800-362-8034 ext. 254 or by e-mail at burkeb@weac.org
for additional information about this budget brief.
Posted May 14, 2001
