District wants more federal money to fund special ed
By John Loesing
Acorn Staff Writer

President George W. Bush said early in office that he would "leave no child behind" when it comes to education funding, but despite the promising tone, local schools claim to be lagging desperately in one area the federal government is obliged to help: special education.

The Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA), the government’s 1975 milestone legislation that began special education funding, was supposed to pay 40 percent of the cost of helping special needs’ students. But a recent finding by Las Virgenes Unified School District (LVUSD) indicates only $4.9 billion of the promised $17.1 billion has been delivered.

The shortfall in Las Virgenes district amounts to $1.7 million a year, the study said.

"While the services have kept pace, the support has not, said Donald Zimring, LVUSD deputy superintendent. "If the federal government doesn’t meet their commitment, all kids will suffer."

LVUSD launched a recent grassroots coalition seeking new laws that would bring special education funding up to par.

Responding to LVUSD’s overtures, more than 1,200 parents and teachers sent letters to U.S. Rep. Brad Sherman (D-Woodland Hills) and to U.S. Senators Barbara Boxer and Diane Feinstein requesting passage of House of Representative Bill 737 and its companion, Senate Bill 466, mandating full funding for IDEA.

"Before we consider spending $2.2 trillion on a $1.6 trillion tax cut primarily benefiting the richest one percent of Americans, we need to honor our commitments," Sherman said. "Chief among them is a long ignored commitment to fully fund … IDEA."

With more recognition being given to conditions such as autism and attention deficit disorder, the number of special-ed students has increased dramatically since the inception of IDEA. But while 1,325 of the district’s 12,000 students require special education programs ––the number is up about 2 percent over the past six years––federal funding hasn’t kept pace.

Annual special education costs statewide are $628 per student, according to the district’s findings. LVUSD’s cost is $867.

LVUSD has been forced to cut corners in other areas to make room for the deficit, including a slower move toward class size reduction, the elimination of music programs at the elementary school level and a cutback in custodial staff positions.

Zimring said that unlike federal programs such as Medicare, IDEA provides no parameters as to the type of care that’s necessary. Degree of service often is linked to threats of litigation rather actual needs. He said LVUSD spent $192,000 in legal fees last year, a 300 percent increase over 1997 due mainly to the rise in special education court cases.

The district one year gave a special needs child $45,000 for transportation to private school.

"A parent can virtually ask for anything they want," Zimring said. "If they have a special needs’ child and they want a place to come, they’re going to come to our district."

"It’s not a matter of pigeon-holing one group as bad and another as good, "said LVUSD School Boardmember Terilyn Finders, a member of the district’s legislative coalition. "All children are being hurt."

According to special education protocol, a parent who requests an assessment for their child must receive it within 30 days. But Peggy Woodall, LVUSD’s director of pupil services, said children must fall into at least one of 13 specific categories, such as learning disabled or retardation, before qualifying for special education benefits.

"You really need to have a valid reason and most parents have a good understanding of their kids," Woodall said.

The House bill would raise special-ed funding from $6.3 billion in 2001 to more than $18 billion in 2006.