Platts Supports Efforts to Address Special Education Funding Shortfall

Washington, D.C - Congressman Todd Russell Platts (R-PA) joined his colleagues Congressman Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) and Congressman Tim Walz (D-MN) to introduce the bipartisan Everyone Deserves UnConditional Access to Education (EDUCATE) Act.  This legislation would fully fund the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). 

Congress passed the IDEA in 1975 with a pledge to fund 40 percent of its costs.  For over 30 years, Congress has fallen far short of that promise.  The EDUCATE Act would require that the federal government fund its share of special education costs. 

“As millions of children head back to school this fall, I am proud to introduce the EDUCATE Act with my colleagues, Congressmen Platts and Walz,” said Van Hollen.  “For too many years, the federal government has failed to meet even half of its commitment.  This legislation will guarantee funding increases for IDEA every year and ensure that our schools have the resources they need to provide a first-class education to every special needs child.”

“A reform of the IDEA funding process is long overdue,” said Platts.  “If the federal government paid its fair share of the costs of the special education mandate, not only would special needs students benefit, but it would free up resources for school districts, giving them additional resources to address local educational needs without raising taxes.”

“As a teacher, I have seen how important it is to make sure our special needs children have the resources they need to learn,” Walz said. “We must keep our commitment to the special needs children and teachers in our classrooms and I'm proud to be introducing this legislation today with Rep. Van Hollen and Rep. Platts.”

The EDUCATE Act would require regular increases in IDEA spending to fulfill the Federal government’s commitment to pay for 40 percent of the cost of educating special needs students by FY2015.  While the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act included a temporary infusion of funding for special education, this legislation would make sure that schools and states have a regular, reliable source of IDEA funds.  Under FY2009 regular appropriations, IDEA was funded at 17.5 percent.