Funding Cuts for Special Education: Take Action TODAY

The PTA Executive Team
Mar 15, 2018
1 min read

The NYS Governor’s budget this year contains a proposal to reduce state reimbursement for summer special education. It will impose an estimated $70 million in costs upon school districts. Under the current law, NYS reimburses school districts for up to 80% of the cost of special education provided to children with disabilities during July and August. The executive budget proposes to shift to a wealth adjusted reimbursement rate - only 36 districts out of the 700 plus would see any increase. An average wealth district will see their share of costs rise from 20% to 51%. Unfortunately, this proposal has not been exposed or received enough attention to ensure that the legislature, and especially the assembly, is against it.

NYS Council of School Superintendents’ Greg Berck said it best: “With 180 million pension cost increase, rising health insurance costs, and zero meaningful mandate relief being considered, it is wrong for the state to cut aid for special education students.”

Please email your NYS officials urging them to OPPOSE this budget proposal!