Copyright 2000 The Omaha World-Herald Company
Omaha
World-Herald
May 4, 2000, Thursday SUNRISE EDITION
SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 6;
LENGTH: 628 words
HEADLINE:
House Vote Sets Up Battle Over Extra Special-Ed Funds
BYLINE: MATT KELLEY
SOURCE:
WORLD-HERALD BUREAU
DATELINE: Washington
BODY:
House members sounded a bipartisan call
Wednesday for boosting federal support to special education programs, an idea
likely to grow more divisive later in this election year. Under the bill passed
421-3 Wednesday, funding for local school districts' special-education programs
would grow by $ 2 billion per year in each of the next 10 years. At that rate,
supporters say, Congress would meet commitments it made in 1975 to shoulder 40
percent of the costs incurred by local districts in meeting federal requirements
to educate disabled students. "It's the right thing to do," said Rep. Lee Terry,
R-Neb. Wednesday's vote was to increase funding under the Individuals
with Disabilities Education Act, or IDEA. All six House members from
Nebraska and western Iowa voted for the bill. Rep. Bill Barrett, R-Neb., a
member of the House Education Committee, said the measure would accelerate a
four-year effort to increase funding for special education. "It's been very
slow," Barrett said. "This really gets us on a target until 2010. Now we've got
something to shoot at." But even with Wednesday's lopsided vote in the House,
sending the additional special education funds to local districts will be at the
center of a partisan fight this year between congressional Republicans and
Democrats led by President Clinton. Both sides are intent on proving their
commitment to education in an election year. Their philosophies clash, however,
over how to distribute additional funding. "The big fight is going to be over
appropriations," said Joel Packer, a lobbyist with the National Education
Association. Republicans generally prefer block grants and additional funds for
special education, a method they say fulfills a federal commitment to local
districts while freeing up local tax dollars for other uses. Clinton, meanwhile,
wants smaller increases for special education in favor of programs to hire
100,000 new teachers and build new classrooms. Nebraska schools spent about $
198.7million on special education during the 1998-99 school year, according to
figures from the State Department of Education. About 11percent of that total -
just under $ 21.5million - came from federal coffers, while the state provided
about $ 127.1million, or 64 percent. Local districts spent just over $
50million, accounting for 25 percent of the costs. "It's more expensive to serve
students with disabilities," said Gary Sherman, a special education
administrator with the Nebraska Department of Education. During the current
school year, Nebraska and Iowa are slatedto receive $ 29.9 million and $
48.96million, respectively, in federal special education funding. Rep. Doug
Bereuter, R-Neb., said current funding accounts for 12.6percent of expenditures
to educate disabled kids. Noting the unmet 40percent commitment from 1975,
Bereuter called the shortfall "a classic and very damaging unfunded mandate."
Bereuter said the number of special-education students in Nebraska increased by
3,700 between 1995 and 1999, a 9 percent increase. "We must fulfill our
commitment to provide 40 percent of the costs of special education," he said in
a statement. Barrett said school administrators from Nebraska consistently list
special-education funding as one of their top needs. By passing the bill
Wednesday, he said, House members are sending a message about budgetary
priorities. "Government hasn't kept its word," Barrett said. Whatever increase
is passed, Terry said, will give school districts more room to maneuver in their
budgeting. Every dollar of special education funding frees up local dollars for
teacher training, school construction or local property-tax relief. "The
difference has always been made up by the local school districts," he said.
LOAD-DATE: May 4, 2000 
