2001-2002 Policy Paper: Special Education Funding
Background:
Both state and federal laws require that local school districts provide
special education and related services for children, ages 3 through
21, with exceptional educational needs. The state reimburses a portion
of the costs for educating and transporting pupils enrolled in special
education programs.
The 1999-2001 budget repealed a Wisconsin law mandating that the state
reimburse local school districts for 63% of the cost to educate children
in special education. Although this statutory requirement existed, the
state had not met that commitment for nearly a decade.
Legislative History:
WEAC helped form a Special Education Funding Coalition made up of educators,
administrators, school board officials and parents. The coalition fought
for and won an additional $46.7 million in new funds for special education.
This will provide enough in categorical aids to maintain a state reimbursement
rate of approximately 34% for local special education costs.
This same coalition supports the reestablishment of the 63% reimbursement
rate for local special education costs. The group also called for the
creation of a Legislative Council Study Committee to review special
education funding issues.
WEAC Position:
The Wisconsin Education Association Council believes that the state
must act now to fund its share of special education programs. The state
should fund special education categorical aid at the 63% level and become
a partner with local school districts in funding special education.
The Wisconsin Education Association Council also supports allowing school
districts to raise funds outside the revenue caps to pay their share
of costs for special education.
Talking Points:
- Wisconsin school districts are being forced to choose between special
education and regular education programs because of the state’s
failure to keep its commitment to fund special education. These painful
choices harm all students.
- Rising costs in special education are beyond the control of school
districts. According to the Department of Public Instruction, the
total number of children in need of specialized education increased
14.7% between 1993 and 1997.
- The alarming trend of reduced funding 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.
- WEAC helped form the Special Education Coalition. This group represents
a broad cross-section of people in Wisconsin -- parents, students,
teachers, school administrators and school board members -- closely
involved with implementing or working through the state's special
education laws. This unique coalition fought hard for the $47 million
increase in special education funding in the biennial budget.
- While the $47 million increase in special education funding in
the 1999-2001 biennial budget came as welcome relief to school districts,
they are still caught in a fiscal bind with only 34 percent of costs
reimbursed by the state. Furthermore, the federal government in 1997-98
reimbursed Wisconsin for less than 5 percent of special education
costs, even though it committed to reimbursing states for 40 percent
of costs.
For Additional Information:
Contact Bob Burke in the WEAC Government Relations Division at 800-362-
8034 ext. 254 or by e-mail at burkeb@weac.org
with any reactions, comments or questions.
Posted June 6, 2000