Special education in America has always been a
critical and emotional issue. In the Senate, I have
aggressively pushed to ensure that students with learning and
physical disabilities receive adequate funding from the Federal
Government. As lawmakers, I believe it is our responsibility
to help school systems nationwide meet the demands of special
education in the classroom. The fight is not over, but we are
taking steps in the right direction.
In the Education for All Handicapped Children Act of 1975, now
the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), the federal
government pledged to assist states in providing schoolage children
with disabilities a free and appropriate public education.
Despite my numerous attempts, I am sorry to say that Congress has
not achieved the goal of funding 40 percent of special education
costs.
Substantial progress is being made, however. Federal
special education funding increased from $2.3 billion in 1996 to
almost $5 billion in 2000. For fiscal year 2000, national
special education funding went up $678 million, a 16 percent
increase over 1999. Vermont has benefitted along with the
nation, with funding rising from $4.5 million in 1996 to $10.1
million in 2000.
Nonetheless, I am dismayed by Congress's reluctance to fulfill
their promise. In the debates over the fiscal year 2001
budget, I vehemently pushed my Senate colleagues to increase special
education funding by $2 billion each year for five years. The
end result would have been an increase from the current $5 billion
to close to $37 billion annually after five years.
Unfortunately, the amendment was watered down and the Senate
eventually passed a nonbinding Sense of the Senate resolution to
fully fund special education. We promised in 1975 to provide
40 percent of the national average per pupil expenditure for each
child with a disability being educated in America's schools.
Last year, we provided 12.5 percent. Our failure to fully fund
our commitment is dismaying.
This issue won't go away and neither will I. I
will fight for what I believe is the most important education issue
before this nation until we meet our pledge of 25 years ago.
Special education students will get the recognition, help, and
funding they deserve.
