Update: Stimulus Bill Pours $12B To Special Education
The House stimulus bill that passed last week includes $12.2 billion for special education. President Obama is expected to sign the economic stimulus bill Tuesday in Denver. That bill includes $12.2 billion for special education alone. That’s a huge amount considering other programs like Head Start will get $1 billion and Child Care Development would receive $2 billion.
It’s not a class full of 20 students. It’s smaller, more focused, and teacher Marty Moore says her students work just as hard as other kids.
“They are not retarded. They just learn in a different way,” says Moore. Moore teaches special education at Jacksonville Middle School Girls’. Her program is expected to get a boost in funding.
“We don’t have internet for the students,” says Moore.
The stimulus bill would pour $12.2 billion into special education over the course of two years.
Dr. Tommy Broyles is the director of special education at the Pulaski County Special School District.
“This will allow local education agencies or school districts to do hiring incentives and to do bonuses for teachers who stay,” says Broyles.
Educators say the stimulus money for special education will create jobs by encouraging more to become special education teachers. It will also strengthen the current program so students don’t drop out of high school and they’ll possibly go onto college and land good jobs.
“If they feel like they don’t have the skills when they get up to high school like at the ninth or tenth grade, they’re dropping out,” says Moore.
“The federal government said it would fund 40% of what was required to meet regulations. The most it has ever been is 18% and currently it is at 17%,” says Broyles.
Governor Mike Beebe warns educators to use the stimulus money wisely.
“If somebody wanted to use it to start an ongoing program, you better think twice. In two years when the money is gone, where is the money going to come from to continue the program,” says Beebe.
Broyles says there will likely continue to be a need for more special education teachers, and that’s why he says he will focus on recruiting teachers and keeping the ones he has.
According to one estimate by the group, Federal Funds Information for States – Arkansas could get $113 million for special education. The Pulaski County Special School District will hold a teacher job fair February 28 at Pulaski Technical College from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m.