James M. Jeffords: “today, joined by many of my colleagues, I am submitting a Senate concurrent resolution calling for a delay in…”

“today, joined by many of my colleagues, I am submitting a Senate concurrent resolution calling for a delay in authorizing or appropriating of funds for new educational initiatives until we fully fund IDEA, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. My colleague, Representative Goodling, is introducing a companion resolution in the House today as well. In 1975 Congress made a commitment to contribute up to 40 percent of the national average per pupil expenditure (APPE) for each child with a disability being educated by our Nation's schools. We are nowhere close to that target of 40 percent. We are committed to achieving that target, and until we do reach the target, we should refrain from undertaking major new education commitments. According to the latest estimates from the Department of Education, this school year there are 6.1 million children with disabilities being served by our Nation's schools. States and local communities are spending $72.9 billion of non-federal dollars to educate these children. The federal contribution available to use in this school year is $3.8 billion. That level of funding represents 10.8 percent of the national average per pupil expenditure for each child with a disability. That represents a mere $635.83 per child. It's time to deliver on the missing 29.2 percent. In a letter of March 24, 1999, the National School Boards Association urges us to increase funding for IDEA by $2.1 billion a year for the next ten years.”