Attention Disability Advocates, Parents, and Concerned Citizens:The Senate Education Committee will hold a hearing at 10:00 a.m., Tuesday, September 21, 2010 on House Bill 704. The hearing will take place in Room 8, East Wing, Capitol Building. We’re encouraging people to attend and show their support.House Bill 704 is our legislation for special education funding and accountability reforms. The bill makes important improvements to benefit the education of children with disabilities.The Pennsylvania House of Representatives approved HB 704 in June by an overwhelming vote of 173 to 25. The bill is now in the Senate. At the hearing, Representative Sturla (our lead sponsor) will testify and present the bill to the Committee for consideration. It’s important we show our strength at this hearing.For more information about attending the hearing contact the Education Law Center’s Baruch Kintisch or Sandy Zelno.
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The state budget was finalized on time, much faster than anyone
expected. Click here
to read ELC’s budget analysis.
State funding for special education was not cut for 2010-11. Every
school district will get the same state funding it received in 2008-09
and 2009-10. Your advocacy on House Bill 704 deserves credit for
protecting this line item in the budget, which avoided the cuts absorbed
by most other programs. Of course, you are well aware that the high
inflation rate for many special education services and programs
threatens the needs of children even with “flat” funding.
The quick resolution of the budget means that there was not enough
time for the sponsors of House Bill 704 to negotiate with the Senate
about approving the special education reforms. We will work over the
summer so that the Senate can promptly hold hearings and vote on HB 704
in September.
Thank you for hanging in there for a couple of extra months. With
your help, we...
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Our bill for special education funding and accountability reform (House
Bill 704) passed the whole State House of Representatives today, by a
vote of 173 to 25.
Click here to see how your representative voted.
Together, we made this happen when everyone else said it couldn’t. Let’s
keep working and see if we can get the bill passed into law with the
state budget by mid-July.
Stay tuned for further action steps.
For now, please consider calling to thank your state representative and
taking the other immediate actions listed at www.ReformSpecialEdFunding.org.
Your tireless efforts are most appreciated.
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The whole State House of Representatives will vote on House
Bill 704 on Monday or Tuesday, June 21 or 22.This is our
legislation for reform of the state systems for special education
funding and accountability.Prior to this historic vote, a few
extra days are needed for the bill sponsors to negotiate amendments with
some other House members.We have worked to develop and support
HB 704 for nearly two years. This is a monumental step for students
with disabilities and their schools.Please take the following actions ASAP and
before noon on Monday, June 21:Contact Your State Representative
• Locate your
state representative and contact information here — http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/legis/home/find.cfm.
• Call his or her Harrisburg office. • Leave a phone message using the
following talking points. ...
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"Meeting the unique needs of students with special needs is critical not only for them but also for other students in our public schools. As a grandmother of three -- one of whom ahs developmental disabilities, one of whom is gifted but with some unique issues, and one who functions well in a regular classroom -- I recognize the importance of this legislation."- Barbara Smith, grandparentShow your support and sign our petition to
help special education in Pennsylvania.
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"I welcome discussion with legislators regarding the need for special ed funding reform in PA. I was a Director of Special Education in a large western PA school district for 13 years. I have experience trying to balance the immediate mandated needs of educating special needs children and the impact of my proposed budgets on the entire District budget. Often, the increase in funding was minimal and I was forced to prioritize the needs of the students…often cutting from one or more categories in my budget. School boards and school administrators have a difficult responsibility to implement mandated changes, federal laws and provide for the many needs of students without the appropriate financial support from the state and federal levels. Please take immediate action to support HB 704."– Joanne C. Meredith, educatorShow your support and sign our petition to
help special education in Pennsylvania.
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"My son has autism and he is not doing well in school, not
because he is not capable, but because he does not have the resources
needed for him to be successful. With enough money, the resources can
...be secured so my son can get access to his education so he can compete
in this society and not be a burden on the social security system."
- Cecelia Thompson, parentShow your support and sign our petition to
help special education in Pennsylvania.
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"I have a child who has special needs. She was helped by
some awesome and patient teachers. The problem now is that many of
these teachers are BURNT out. They need you to pass this bill. By
passing this bill, all special needs students will get the help that
they need. Also all school districts will receive equitable money.
Please sign this bill to help the future of not only our special needs
students but also the future of Pennsylvania."
- Teresa DePaul, parentShow your support and sign our petition to help special education in Pennsylvania.
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Hurry up and wait. An unfortunate but sometimes necessary part of human existence, supermarket lines, and political reality in Harrisburg.HB 704, the bill on special education funding and accountability reforms, was scheduled for a vote in the whole State House of Representatives on Wednesday, May 26. The vote has been rescheduled for Tuesday or Wednesday, June 8 or 9.PLEASE CONTACT YOUR STATE REPRESENTATIVE ASAP. We need your help to get calls, e-mails, or letters to every state representative. Click here for talking points and actions that you can take to help the House vote for and pass HB 704 on June 8 or 9.Click here to see a more detailed explanation of the two-week delay and a list of amendments intended by some representatives for HB 704. If your state representative is sponsoring one of these amendments, you may want to call him or her to express your concerns – HB 704 deserves their support and a vote without amendments.For extra help, call or...
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