Narrative for fully-funding special education?

[miranda]

It's budget season in my district and we're facing huge cuts to our small community school once again. There are very few options left to cut (they've already cut band and other nonessential core curriculum). So now they are talking about combining classrooms creating giant 35 kid multi-age rooms. It's bad. Or they may cut a nonessential behavioral support specialist that isn't funded by Title 1 or special ed. 


One thing the district keeps bringing up is the under funding of special ed and how it continues to effect their budget. We're meeting with an assistant superintendent this week to discuss the cuts. Is there a decent narrative or questions we can ask that would be most impactful? I feel like it's hollow to say: work harder to get special education funding from Congress. I was thinking of asking specifically what the district's efforts are at the federal level, and if their lobbyist has a gameplan (we are the largest district in the state so I'm assuming they have some lobbying efforts at federal level, I could be wrong.) 


Has anyone seen a good narrative/talking points re: special ed funding?

[auntie]

IME, there is no narrative to address this effectively.

It's a shame because sped programming is often cited as an excuse for not funding "extras" like the arts and after school enrichment. This becomes divisive as parents of well developing kids feel short changed by costs for things they don't see in the context of educational need.

The sad fact is, there is not sufficient federal funding to reimburse districts for the special education expenses incurred under the mandates of IDEA. Either the states fill in the gaps or districts suffer.

[miranda]

That's what I was afraid of. I don't like where any of this is heading. It's incredibly unfair. Something has to be done at a federal level to protect districts with high numbers of special needs students that are disproportionately affected by federal government shorting. I can't even attend these meetings any more because they seem to go no where. In addition to specials, I think the argument is going to turn towards teachers salaries and unions. Since I posted this it was announced that the district is easing up on our school's budget cuts- but ONLY if our PTA comes up with matching funds to pay the salary of one of our 5th grade teachers. That is wrong on so many levels.

[funchicken]

miranda, I'm so sorry you're dealing with this. This stuff upsets me so much. We live in one of the wealthiest counties in the country, and I would gladly pay more in property taxes to fully fund the schools, and yet every year we have the same issues. The county cuts taxes, and we keep losing good teachers because their benefits get cut. The district doesn't want to replace textbooks, but they won't buy computers, so the PTA keeps doing fundraisers to buy chromebooks. The autism classroom did a gofundme last year to buy ipads for some of the students. It makes me so sad.