Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2003

INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES EDUCATION IMPROVEMENT ACT OF 2003

Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President, I am pleased to be a cosponsor of the Harkin-Hagel amendment to fully fund the Federal share of the individuals with Disabilities Education Act. This proposal is long overdue and will help every school district in Maine.

IDEA is based on two fundamental principles: First, that all disabled children are entitled to a free and appropriate public education; and, second, to the maximum extent possible, these children should be educated alongside their nondisabled peers.

To help States achieve these principles, in 1975 Congress authorized funding at 40 percent of the average per pupil expenditure. Unfortunately, this funding level has never been realized, leaving States with insufficient resources and jeopardizing the achievement of IDEA's worthy goals.

In 1996, the year I was first elected to the Senate, the Federal Government provided only $2.3 billion for IDEA funding, about 7 percent of the promised level. Through our efforts in the Senate, IDEA funding has steadily climbed, reaching nearly $10.1 billion in fiscal year 2004, an increase of more than 300 percent. Despite this considerable progress, current IDEA funding still represents only half of the original 40 percent promised by Congress. This is an unfunded mandate that affects every State in the Nation.

Over the years, this shortfall in IDEA funding has placed a tremendous financial strain on communities in providing these services, and in particular, on small rural towns, such as those in Maine. According to recent CRS estimates, if IDEA were fully funded, Maine would receive approximately $104 million in part B funding, an increase of approximately $56 million over current levels.

While the shortfalls affecting Maine and other States are startling, they fail to convey the crushing financial blow which can result to a small community when a medically fragile, high-cost child with special needs locates there.

In these cases, school systems are often forced to cut back in services to all children in an attempt to meet their legal obligations. Unfortunately, this can result in resentment of these special needs children by members of their own community.

During my time in the Senate, I have consistently supported efforts to fully fund IDEA. In 2001, during Senate consideration of No Child Left Behind, I was pleased to join Senators HAGEL and HARKIN in sponsoring another amendment to fully fund IDEA. Although the amendment passed the Senate, unfortunately, it was removed during conference with the House.

After over 2 years of work, we now have before us a bill to reauthorize IDEA. S. 1248 has strong bipartisan support and reflects a bipartisan commitment to make the improvements necessary to ensure better educational services for disabled students.

For example, it contains modifications designed to improve parental involvement, to resolve conflicts more effectively and without litigation, and to reduce unnecessary paperwork. With these reforms in place, it is time for Congress to step up and meet its funding obligations under IDEA.

Our amendment would provide crucial resources necessary to support communities and special education students throughout the country. Specifically, it would provide mandatory funding increases of $2.2 billion each year for the next 6 years to reach full funding by 2010, and then maintain full funding in subsequent years.

I urge my colleagues to join us in support of this amendment. Let's make this the year where we finally make good on the promise to fully fund IDEA.