Heinrich, Luján back bill to fully fund special education for students with disabilities

The IDEA Full Funding Act would fulfill a decades-old promise to support schools serving children with disabilities

Organ Mountain News report

WASHINGTON - New Mexico’s U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich and Ben Ray Luján are backing legislation that would fully fund special education nationwide — fulfilling a decades-old promise Congress has yet to meet.

The IDEA Full Funding Act would require the federal government to gradually increase funding for special education until it covers 40 percent of the average per-student cost, as originally outlined in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) passed in 1975.

Despite that commitment, the federal government currently covers less than 12 percent, according to the Congressional Research Service.

“New Mexico kids deserve every opportunity to succeed, and that requires access to quality public education that meets their unique needs,” Heinrich said. “It’s past time that we make good on the promise Congress made in 1975: We need to deliver our fair share of funding for special education, delivering for our kids and our communities.”

Luján said the chronic underfunding has left students behind for decades.

“When Congress passed IDEA, we promised to cover 40 percent of the extra cost of special education,” he said. “For over 40 years, the federal government has failed to fund its fair share of the IDEA Act, leaving room for gaps in education. That’s why I’m proud to join my colleagues in reintroducing this bipartisan legislation to fully fund IDEA for students with disabilities.”

The bill is led in the Senate by U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen and in the House by U.S. Representative Jared Huffman. It has broad support in both chambers, with dozens of co-sponsors from both parties.

More than 60 organizations have endorsed the legislation, including the American Academy of Pediatrics, the National Education Association, The Arc of the United States and the National PTA.

The full bill text is available here.