Deep cuts to special ed

Across the country, advocates for children with disabilities are struggling with the impact of sequestration, writes Adrienne Lu for Stateline. Many schools have fewer speech, occupational, or physical therapists, or social workers and school psychologists. Students who had received speech therapy twice a week now get it once week. And some general education classrooms that had two teachers -- one for the whole class and one specifically to support students with special needs -- have had the special education teacher eliminated. Although cuts took effect March 1, the impact is felt this school year because of how programs are funded. The U.S. Department of Education estimates that the sequester cut $579 million in federal funding for IDEA Part B. The National Education Association calculates that if states and local school systems do not replace funds lost through sequestration, nearly 300,000 students receiving services will be affected. Up to 7,800 jobs could be lost. It is unknown how many states or districts will replace some or all of that money from other sources, such as new taxes or cuts to other programs. They may hesitate to replace funding, since by law, states and districts that increase funding for special education and then later reduce it can see federal funding cut, a rule known as maintenance of effort. More

Source:  Public Education News Blast

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Los Angeles Education Partnership (LAEP) is an education support organization that works as a collaborative partner in high-poverty communities.