[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 82 (Wednesday, June 13, 2001)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1083]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




         CONGRESSIONAL UNDERFUNDING OF IDEA HURTS LOCAL SCHOOLS

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                            HON. TOM LANTOS

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, June 13, 2001

  Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, when the House considered President Bush's 
education reform bill last month the rule imposed by the Majority for 
consideration of that legislation did not permit amendments to be 
offered to address the urgent need for increased education funding of 
the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). As a result, 
local school districts across our nation will continue to be forced to 
cut important local programs.
  Mr. Speaker, as recently as the early 1970's, it was documented that 
some two million children were receiving no education whatsoever, many 
because of physical or learning disabilities. In response to this 
terrible injustice, Congress enacted the Education for All Handicapped 
Children Act in 1975. Later renamed the Individuals with Disabilities 
Education Act (IDEA), the law guarantees equal educational 
opportunities for all children. As a result of this legislation, some 
six million children with disabilities between the ages of three and 
twenty-one are receiving an education today--children who probably 
would not have that opportunity without this legislation.
  Mr. Speaker, Congress pledged itself to fund IDEA at a level 
providing local schools with 40% of the additional funds required to 
educate children with special needs. In the 4 years since Congress 
established this goal, we have failed to appropriate the necessary 
funds for IDEA. By continuously under-funding IDEA, we are placing 
unnecessary burdens on local school budgets. It is an outrage that 
should have been rectified during debate and consideration of the 
President's education reform bill.
  Mr. Speaker, underfunding of IDEA has lead to a competition between 
special education and regular education in virtually every school 
district in our nation, because local and federal funding available is 
simply too small to meet the education requirements. In order to fund 
both special and regular education to the best of their ability, school 
districts have had to cut critical services from their budgets.
  Mr. Speaker, the Belmont-Redwood Shores School district, which is 
located in my congressional district, provides us with an excellent 
example of the burden which the Congress' failure to fully fund IDEA 
places on local school districts. The Board of Trustees of the Belmont-
Redwood Shores Elementary School District recently met to discuss 
whether they should give teachers a much needed cost of living raise or 
cut programs and personnel from elementary schools in the district. The 
programs and personnel considered for elimination include the 
elementary school music program, one assistant principal, two 
custodians, as well as an English as a Second Language teacher. The 
board also considered cutting a counseling program, cutting back on 
technology equipment, or not making necessary repairs to audio/visual 
equipment. Mr. Speaker, these unfortunate and unnecessary budget cuts 
could have been easily avoided if Congress had simply met its 
commitment to fully fund IDEA.
  Providing quality education for all students, including those with 
disabilities, requires federal assistance to aid states and school 
districts provide these necessary services. Lack of funding leads 
school administrators to make decisions that are not in the best 
interests of students, but decisions dictated by budget considerations. 
Congress' broken pledge to fully fund IDEA has made schools seek to 
reduce the number of students classified as special needs or to 
restrict the services available to all students. The lack of sufficient 
funding to meet the needs of students with disabilities also places 
considerable strain on the entire school budget as administrators are 
forced to increase tax revenue or cut other critical programs in order 
to provide IDEA services.
  Mr. Speaker, Congress must follow through on its pledge to support 
fully special education. I regret the Majority leadership's decision to 
make local school districts choose between educating children with 
special needs and eliminating other important school services. The 
needs of children with disabilities should never be pitted against 
other important educational needs of our nation's children. I urge my 
colleagues to join me allowing a complete debate and a vote on the full 
funding of IDEA.

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