By CRISTINA JANNEY
Hays Post
The director of the local special education co-op told the Hays USD school board Monday night that state funding is increasing this year for the local co-op, but the state is still not meeting its obligations.
The Kansas Legislature approved an increase of $75 million for special education funding.
Under the new formula, that will mean about $600,000 for the West Central Kansas Special Education Cooperative, which consists of the Hays, Ellis, Victoria, La Crosse, and Russell school districts and the private schools in those areas.
Federal funding will stay the same this school year, Kyle Carlin, co-op director, said.
Neither level of government is fully funding its share of special education. The federal government is supposed to fund 40% of special education costs but has never done so, Carlin said. The federal government is currently funding special education in Kansas at about 12% of the cost.
According to statute, the state is supposed to fund 92 percent of what is not covered by the federal government. This school year, the state will fund about 74.6% of that cost.
The rest of the cost of funding special education falls to the local school districts.
The federal gap for the local co-op is $3.2 million, and the state gap is between $1.4 million and $1.6 million per year.
Carlin said receiving those funds would be "game-changing" for the local districts.
Kansas School Board member Cathy Hopkins of Hays recommended increasing state special education funding.
However, Carlin said lawmakers from both sides of the aisle need to support more special education funding.
Board member Ruth Ruder said she contacted Rep. Barb Wasinger, R-Hays, and Hopkins about this issue.
Wasinger cited the federal government not fully funding its share of the special education cost. However, she said she would be willing to meet with Ruder and other school officials on the issue.
"We need to hold them to their obligation," Ruder said."They need to meet it."
Ruder said the issue also needs to be brought before the U.S. Congressional delegations.
Superintendent Ron Wilson said it's important everyone knows the need for special education and the need right now.
The co-op is serving 1,050 students with individual education plans. It employs 100 licensed staff and an additional 200 paraprofessionals.
"The requirement and expectations for teachers and all they deal with is unbelievable," Wilson said.
"We have groups that don't grasp that, and it's very frustrating."
Carlin said the co-op has to meet mandates but does not have the funds to do that.
"It's handcuffing us," he said.