ALERT - Full Funding of IDEA Vote

[Guest guest]

HI All,

When IDEA was first proposed in 1975, the federal government agreed to fund 40% of special education costs. In reality, the federal govenment only funds 13% leaving the rest to local schools.

There is presently a house bill that will force the federal government to pay it's promised 40% but the vote is being held tomorrow.

I will cut and paste more information below.

Dawn Klein, OH, Mom to JJ, 6 and Adam, 2 JJ is a person with CP, apraxia and DSI

Support H.R. 737, the "Mandatory IDEA Full Funding Act of2001," because it would guarantee full funding for Part B of IDEAwithin 5 years. The House Budget Committee is expected to considerthis important piece of legislation on Wednesday, March 21, 2001. Itis important that as many House members as possible cosponsor(sign-onto) the bill to ensure that the FY 2001 budget includes morefederal funding for IDEA.You can help by doing either one of the following immediately, butbefore March 21:1. Go to the CEC website at www. cec.sped.orgSelect Public Policy and Advocacy/Legislative Action Center. At thetop of that page, select Legislative Action Center (or just go to<http://capwiz.com/cek/home/>http://capwiz.com/cek/home/)Once you are in the Action Center, you will find a model letter onIDEA full funding you can easily personalize on-line and sendinstantly to your member of the House of Representatives aboutsupporting H.R. 737; or2. Call the LOCAL OFFICE of your Representative (not the DC office)and ask him or her to cosponsor H.R. 737, the "Mandatory IDEA FullFunding Act of 2001". New Representatives are signing on every dayso if the office tells you that your Representative is already acosponsor; please thank them for their support!To locate a district phone number for your House Representative, goto the CEC Action Center (see above) and select Elected Officials (orjust go to<http://capwiz.com/cek/dbq/officials/>http://capwiz.com/cek/dbq/officials/) and type in your zip code. You will be given directoryinformation for your House Representative including their localdistrict phone number.When you call, ask to speak to the staff person who handles educationissues. Make sure to specifically ask your Representative toco-sponsor H.R. 737, the "Mandatory IDEA Full Funding Act of 2001."You are encouraged to use this opportunity to educate the staffperson on how increased funding for IDEA will improve services forchildren with disabilities by providing more resources for studentservices, helping to address the issue of increasing caseloads, andother resource problems you have experienced.Please forward this email to others, so that as many people aspossible contact their Representative in the House in the nextseveral days! As always, your help is critical and very muchappreciated.