S. 866: IDEA Full Funding Act

This position statement was submitted by California School Funding Coalition on May 15, 2019.

California School Funding Coalition “Working together to ensure every public school in California receives the funding necessary to provide a high-quality education for all students.”

April 29, 2019

The Honorable Lucille Roybal-Allard United States House of Representatives 2083 Rayburn House Office Building Washington, DC 20515

Local Office: 500 Citadel Drive, Suite 320 Commerce, CA 90040 Via Fax: (323) 721-8789

Support: Request to Co-Sponsor Bipartisan H.R. 1878/S. 866—IDEA Full Funding Act Dear Congresswoman Roybal-Allard:

On behalf of the 52 member districts of the California School Funding Coalition, we ask for your support of H.R. 1878 and S. 866—IDEA Full Funding Act.

Our nation’s public schools are sinking beneath the disproportionate weight they carry to fund requirements of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), and you can help save them.

More than 40 years ago, Congress promised to pay 40% of the new mandates required when IDEA was enacted. That has never happened. In fact, during the past three fiscal years the federal apportionment for IDEA in California, has represented 9% of the costs of IDEA mandates.

Consider the following:

 California spent more last year on Special Education services to students than was appropriated by Congress in the entire 2019 federal budget for IDEA.

 Since 2006, the number of California’s students with severe disabilities, such as autism, has grown at a rate of 10% per year; now exceeding 300,000 students.

2017/18—Funding Sources to pay the extra cost of services for children with disabilities: o $9,650,000,000—School District Local Funds: 83% increase since 2010/11 o $3,840,000,000—State of California: 5% increase since 2010/11 o $1,260,000,000—Federal: 2% increase since 2010/11

If Congress, over the next 10 years, were to move toward funding the promised 40% of IDEA costs, the positive impact to local communities and students would be significant, both in increased services to students and through jobs creation. California schools would be able to use Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF) dollars on general education services; benefiting both students with disabilities and those in general education. A major effort is underway to increase state level funding for students with disabilities and we need Congress to do the same.

The need is critical, and the time is right, for Congress to take action and fulfill its promise to America’s children with disabilities by passing H.R. 1878.

On behalf of the 52 member districts of the California School Funding Coalition, we thank you for your long-standing support for the education of our children.

Sincerely, George Mannon, Ed.D. Eimear O'Farrell, Ed.D. Christopher Hoffman Superintendent Superintendent Superintendent Torrance Unified SD Clovis Unified SD Elk Grove Unified SD

California School Funding Coalition michelleu@sscal.com • 916.446.7517 steveward@cusd.com • 559.327.9110

Coalition Members Alameda County Office of Education Alameda Unified Albany Unified Alta Loma Elementary Arcadia Unified Big Sur Unified Brentwood Union Burton Cabrillo Unified Capistrano Unified Caruthers Unified Chawanakee Unified Clovis Unified Cotati-Rhonert Park Unified Cupertino Union Dinuba Unified El Segundo Unified El Tejon Unified Elk Grove Unified Etiwanda Elementary Folsom-Cordova Unified Gilroy Unified Glendora Unified Golden Valley Unified Irvine Unified Kerman Unified Kingsburg Elementary Charter Lawndale Elementary Madera Unified Manteca Unified Merced City Merced Union High Modesto City Schools Moreno Valley Unified Mt. Diablo Unified Oak Park Unified Orcutt Union Elementary Pixley Union Elementary Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified Pleasant Valley Redondo Beach Unified Riverdale Joint Unified Rocklin Unified San Marcos Unified San Marino Unified San Mateo-Foster City Sanger Unified Santa Barbara Unified Temecula Valley Unified Torrance Unified Twin Rivers Unified Wiseburn Unified