The legislature has officially passed the funding reforms outlined in HB 2138 and SB 1316. Thank you for maintaining the pressure required to ensure that our students receive the support they deserve. We will continue to monitor the implementation of these new policies to guarantee that the allocated resources reach …
May 29, 2014
Final supporters
Thousands of families and advocates for children with disabilities spent tireless hours over the past several years urging members of the Pennsylvania General Assembly to address the critical need for special education funding reforms.
The first step toward those reforms — the creation of a legislative Special Education Funding commission to examine and propose system-wide changes — was approved three different times by the full Senate and twice by the full House of Representatives, and was signed by the Governor last year.
The Special Education Funding Commission worked diligently and traveled the state to learn from all interested stakeholders about special education costs, services, and best practices. After months of hearings and extensive feedback from numerous organizations and individuals, the Commission released its report late last year. The report makes sound recommendations for fixing Pennsylvania’s broken system of special education funding.
Please support that important work.
House Bill 2138, and its companion, Senate Bill 1316, represent the Commission’s recommendations and a huge step toward fixing the state’s erroneous system for special education funding. Put simply, this broken system impacts whether or not Pennsylvania’s 270,000 students with disabilities receive a quality education. The broken funding system also affects the quality of services available for students without special needs and contributes to property tax increases.
Overall, the proposed legislation provides, for the first time, an efficient and equitable formula for distributing special education dollars that aligns resources with true costs of serving students.
Children with disabilities, and all children throughout Pennsylvania, will benefit from your leadership in fixing this broken system for special education funding and accountability.
Please work with us to help ensure passage of House Bill 2138 and Senate Bill 1316 and the much-needed reforms to the special education structure in Pennsylvania.
Updates
May 20, 2014
The momentum behind this petition has reached a significant point that confirms the urgency of funding reform. It is clear that the need to support Pennsylvania students with disabilities resonates deeply across our state.
Reached 100 supporters
May 20, 2014
32 Comments
How many times does this have to be approved before we finally see a fair funding formula? Charter schools must be accountable for fair and equitable solutions!
This bill is extremely important for the proper services for individuals with disabilities along with the proper funding. My child lives with autism and needs lots of support in school. This bill will assure he gets the services needed to continue success in school.
The autistic population is growing at a rapid pace and the schools are not prepared to handle them with the proper education. Early Intervention is key in giving these children as well as others, the best start possible. The funding for early intervention is so poor that we can not hire new staff members to accomadate these children properly.
The intent of the proposed new formula instills fairness, accountability and equity into the system.
The general assembly should meet its constitutional and moral obligation to fund those programs that it and the federal government have created. The current system of funding special education is unfair and inadequate. We have come a long way in educating our special needs children. It is time for the legislature to meet their fiscal obligations.
The Special Education programs in our schools are a vital necessity to our youth and the neighboring communities.
Please help our most vulnerable citizens get the services and education they need.
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The legislature has officially passed the funding reforms outlined in HB 2138 and SB 1316. Thank you for maintaining the pressure required to ensure that our students receive the support they deserve. We will continue to monitor the implementation of these new policies to guarantee that the allocated resources reach …
May 29, 2014
Final supporters
Thousands of families and advocates for children with disabilities spent tireless hours over the past several years urging members of the Pennsylvania General Assembly to address the critical need for special education funding reforms.
The first step toward those reforms — the creation of a legislative Special Education Funding commission to examine and propose system-wide changes — was approved three different times by the full Senate and twice by the full House of Representatives, and was signed by the Governor last year.
The Special Education Funding Commission worked diligently and traveled the state to learn from all interested stakeholders about special education costs, services, and best practices. After months of hearings and extensive feedback from numerous organizations and individuals, the Commission released its report late last year. The report makes sound recommendations for fixing Pennsylvania’s broken system of special education funding.
Please support that important work.
House Bill 2138, and its companion, Senate Bill 1316, represent the Commission’s recommendations and a huge step toward fixing the state’s erroneous system for special education funding. Put simply, this broken system impacts whether or not Pennsylvania’s 270,000 students with disabilities receive a quality education. The broken funding system also affects the quality of services available for students without special needs and contributes to property tax increases.
Overall, the proposed legislation provides, for the first time, an efficient and equitable formula for distributing special education dollars that aligns resources with true costs of serving students.
Children with disabilities, and all children throughout Pennsylvania, will benefit from your leadership in fixing this broken system for special education funding and accountability.
Please work with us to help ensure passage of House Bill 2138 and Senate Bill 1316 and the much-needed reforms to the special education structure in Pennsylvania.
Updates
May 20, 2014
The momentum behind this petition has reached a significant point that confirms the urgency of funding reform. It is clear that the need to support Pennsylvania students with disabilities resonates deeply across our state.
Reached 100 supporters
May 20, 2014
32 Comments
Thank you to the Special Education Funding Commission for all of their hard work. This reform is badly needed!
How many times does this have to be approved before we finally see a fair funding formula? Charter schools must be accountable for fair and equitable solutions!
This bill is extremely important for the proper services for individuals with disabilities along with the proper funding. My child lives with autism and needs lots of support in school. This bill will assure he gets the services needed to continue success in school.
The autistic population is growing at a rapid pace and the schools are not prepared to handle them with the proper education. Early Intervention is key in giving these children as well as others, the best start possible. The funding for early intervention is so poor that we can not hire new staff members to accomadate these children properly.
The intent of the proposed new formula instills fairness, accountability and equity into the system.
The general assembly should meet its constitutional and moral obligation to fund those programs that it and the federal government have created. The current system of funding special education is unfair and inadequate. We have come a long way in educating our special needs children. It is time for the legislature to meet their fiscal obligations.
The Special Education programs in our schools are a vital necessity to our youth and the neighboring communities.
Please help our most vulnerable citizens get the services and education they need.
Share this petition
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Thank you to the Special Education Funding Commission for all of their hard work. This reform is badly needed!