By CRISTINA JANNEY
Hays Post
Special education officials are urging Kansas legislators when they come back to Topeka today to increase funding for special education.
Statute requires the state to fund 92 percent of special education costs that are not covered by the federal government. However, the state has only funded special education at 76.4 percent for the 2021-22 school year.
The Legislature has not funded special education at the statutory requirement since 2009. This means local school districts have to pay the difference.
Federal law requires school districts to fully fund all aspects of students' independent education plans. This includes both students who have learning disabilities and gifted students. It also includes reading support and speech therapy.
"The way that it ends up affecting our schools is that ultimately funding has to be made up by the local budget, so that means tough decisions about class sizes and other resources that will be available to all students and not just students with disabilities or giftedness," said Kyle Carlin, executive director of the West Central Kansas Special Education Cooperative.
The co-op, which includes Hays, Ellis, Victoria and LaCrosse and soon Russell, is being shorted $1 million to $1.5 million per year, Carlin said.
This school year the co-op had 977 students with IEPs, which also included students served in the area's Catholic schools. This was up from 903 students two years ago.
This is a statewide issue. Carlin said the local coop members have been able to absorb the excess special education costs. Other districts and co-ops have not been as lucky. Rural schools have been hit hardest. They have been forced to cut staff, and some are even in danger of closing, Carlin said.
The Kansas Department of Education has estimated special education is being underfunded statewide by $140 million.
One in six students in Kansas receives special education services. Those numbers are not only on the rise in the local area. Since 2001, special education enrollment is up 20 percent statewide, which is four times the general enrollment rate increase.
More students are being identified at earlier ages as a result of enhanced testing and screening, Carlin said. Earlier identification can result in better outcomes for students, he said.
The local coop is doing a good job at helping students meet their education plan goals, but this is becoming harder as teachers are being forced to absorb more responsibilities because of funding issues, Carlin said.
More students also are needing specialized support post COVID, Carlin said.
Carlin encouraged Kansans to contact their local legislators and advocate for more special education funding.
"Every dollar the state doesn't provide has to be made up somewhere," Carlin said."That means we are taking resources away from all students to make sure we are meeting [special education] needs. It is something that affects every single person in our district and our cooperative."
With a budget surplus as high as $1.5 billion, Carlin said the state can afford to invest $140 million in special education.
"I'm not sure how we can't afford to do this when it impacts our most vulnerable students," he said.
The following are local legislators and their contacts:
• Sen. Rick Billinger, R-Goodland, Phone: 785-296-7399
Email: [email protected]
• Rep. Barb Wasinger, R-Hays, Phone: 785 296-4683
Email: [email protected]
• Rep. Ken Rahjes, R-Agra, Phone: 785 296-7463
Email: [email protected]
• Rep. Tatum Lee, R-Ness City, Phone: 785 296-7396
Email: [email protected]
• Sen. Alicia Straub, R-Ellinwood, Phone: 785-296-7682
Email: [email protected]
You can search for contacts of all Kansas legislators at http://www.kslegislature.org.