Special Education Budget Worries
Now that the political season is in full swing, the chances of getting both houses in Congress to agree on a federal budget grow slimmer by the day. With the looming threat of sequestration—$1 trillion in automatic spending cuts that will take effect in January 2013 in the absence of a legislative solution—those who rely on federal spending are becoming increasingly concerned, including special educators.
According to a survey conducted jointly by the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) and the Council of Administrators of Special Education (CASE), special education directors are nearly unanimous (95%) in their prediction that the 8% automatic cut will result in layoffs and hiring freezes. These cuts would be in addition to recent personnel losses that occurred when federal stimulus money dried up this past year.
Major Concerns
The survey was conducted among 300 special education directors throughout the country. Other results, reported in a CEC/CASE press release, paint a dire picture of how your child could be impacted if sequestration occurs:
- 81% agree that there will be increased strain on the availability of services for students with disabilities
- 85% predict their district will cut funding for purchase of resources including needed technology
- 77% think their district will increase caseloads
- 79% said their district will reduce professional development
In 2011 CEC and CASE collaborated on another survey asking their members how the economic slowdown was already impacting their ability to provide services. Some of the results follow:
- 92% reported an increased strain on the availability of special education services
- 91% reported an increase in class size
- 90% reported cuts to education programs
- 94% reported funding cuts for the purchase of resources, such as technology
Take Action
The CEC urges anyone who supports special education to use the CEC Legislative Action Center to tell Congress to restore funding for special education.
Now that the political season is in full swing, the chances of getting both houses in Congress to agree on a federal budget grow slimmer by the day. With the looming threat of sequestration—$1 trillion in automatic spending cuts that will take effect in January 2013 in the absence of a legislative solution—those who rely on federal spending are becoming increasingly concerned, including special educators.
According to a survey conducted jointly by the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) and the Council of Administrators of Special Education (CASE), special education directors are nearly unanimous (95%) in their prediction that the 8% automatic cut will result in layoffs and hiring freezes. These cuts would be in addition to recent personnel losses that occurred when federal stimulus money dried up this past year.