If you are a parent who has a child with a disability, it is probably not surprising to learn that school districts want and need more funding and continue to appeal to policymakers to secure the funding. In 2019 alone, at least 99 bills have been introduced by policymakers to modify special education services, with most of the bills looking for ways to increase funding to match the cost of the services.
Why Is This Important?
The need for more funding and support for special education services has been an ongoing battle for school districts around the country, including in New York and Connecticut. While steps have been taken in recent years to improve access to special education services, there is still evidence that students with a disability are not getting access to all of the services they need. In 2018, the report found that nearly a quarter of the students with a disability did not receive special education services as part of the IEP. For some school districts, the funding that they receive is not enough to cover the cost of special education services, which often leaves them short on crucial resources.
In the last five years, complaints on special education services in New York City have nearly doubled, an issue that is becoming increasingly urgent, with some complaints being delayed as long as 225 days. Without the necessary resources to address the complaints and come to a solution in a timely manner, students with a disability are not receiving the resources they need to thrive in the classroom.
In response to this, policymakers in New York have been fighting for both increased funding for special education services and increased transparency from the education department on how funding is being used. Through the bills, policymakers hope to get more information not only on how funding is being utilized, but how school districts can help provide more students with a disability the resources they need to thrive in the classroom.
To stay up-to-date on the latest information and news in special education law in New York, visit Spencer Walsh Law online at SpencerWalshLaw.com.
