The bill provides for an increase in federal funds to help states meet the higher costs associated with educating children with disabilities. Senator Collins has been a leading proponent in the US Senate of increased funding for IDEA and for requiring the federal government to fully fund its share of the cost of disability education. In addition, the bill provides more flexibility to states with regard to the special education teacher standards required in the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB), and it provides another option for states to allocate special education funds to the school districts that are in the greatest need of these dollars.
"This bill is very good news for disabled students in our nation, for their families, and for the schools that work so hard to provide these students with the best education possible. Since its original passage in 1975, IDEA has provided breakthrough opportunities for children with disabilities and has helped many of these students reach their full potential," said Senator Collins.
"But as administrators in small rural school districts in Maine and throughout the nation will tell you, inadequate federal funding has placed an enormous financial burden on school districts that are already struggling. While I support efforts to mandate even more federal funding for IDEA, this bill is a big step that will make additional funds available for all states to help educate children with disabilities."
Specifically, the bill authorizes federal spending increases for IDEA over the next seven years, to reach the full 40 percent funding goal by 2011. It calls for an increase of $2.3 billion each year, reaching $26.1 billion in seven years.
The bill also provides more flexibility regarding teacher standards required by the No Child Left Behind Act, while ensuring that special education teachers are qualified.
"I am also pleased that the bill includes provisions to give more flexibility for special education teachers in meeting NCLB's "highly qualified teacher" requirements," added Senator Collins. "This is an important step in the right direction."
The bill also includes portions of Senator Collins "Supporting Success for High Needs Students Act," bipartisan legislation she introduced with Senator Murray of Washington State. These provisions give states and local districts the option to create a risk pool of funds at the state level to help pay the education costs for particularly high need students. Local districts would be able to apply to this fund to get reimbursement for students whose education costs are exceptionally high.
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