fw: FY2012 Federal Budget Announcement

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Wilbur Hawke

Co-Director

Family Network on Disabilities of Florida

Parent Education Network (PEN)

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Sent: Wednesday, February 16, 2011 8:29 AM

To:

Subject: FY2012 Federal Budget Announcement

The President released the FY2012 budget proposal yesterday. President Obama chose to visit a school to make the announcement, accompanied by Secretary of Education Arne Duncan and signifying the administration's strong belief that quality education for all children is the key to maintaining America's role as a leader in the global economy.

Below is an excerpt from the Budget Summary relative to funding for students with disabilities, with emphasis added to specific proposed funding levels that I think will interest you.

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The Administration is committed to ensuring that all children, including students with disabilities, have an equal opportunity to participate in a high quality education, are expected to perform to high levels, and to the maximum extent possible, are prepared to lead productive, independent lives. The fiscal year 2012 budget request for Special Education of $12.9 billion is aimed at making this goal a reality by helping States and school districts improve the results for children with disabilities.

The Administration requests $11.7 billion for the Grants to States program, an increase of $200 million above the FY 2011 annualized level, to assist States and schools in covering the excess costs of providing special education and related services to children with disabilities ages 3 through 21. The request would provide an average of $1,765 for each of the 6.614 million children with disabilities who are estimated to be served for 2012. The Federal contribution toward meeting the excess cost of special education and related services would be approximately 17 percent of the national average per pupil expenditures under this request.

The request of $374.1 million for Preschool Grants is the same as the FY 2011 CR level and the request of $489.4 million for Grants for Infants and Families is an increase of $50 million. The Preschool Grants program provides additional support to States and schools for providing special education services to children ages 3 through 5. The Grants for Infants and Families program provides assistance to States to help them implement statewide systems of early intervention services for children from birth through age 2.

The $249.5 million request for National Activities programs would support a variety of technical assistance, dissemination, training, and other activities to help States, local educational agencies, parents, and others in improving results for children with disabilities.

State Personnel Development, Technical Assistance and Dissemination, Personnel Preparation, and Parent Information Centers would be funded at the FY 2011 CR levels of $48.0 million, $49.5 million, $90.7 million, and $28.0 million, respectively. The Technology and Media Services program would be funded at $33.3 million, $10.7 million less than the program's funding in FY 2011, due to the elimination of funding for earmarks.

The Special Olympics Education Programs would be funded at $8.1 million, the same as the FY 2011 CR level. The request would also include $5.0 million for a new program, Mentoring for Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities, which would support competitive grants for activities to increase the participation of people with intellectual disabilities in community life. Funding of $30 million is also requested for an initiative, PROMISE: Promoting Readiness of Minors in SSI, a joint effort with the Social Security Administration and the Departments of Health and Human Services and Labor. Pilot demonstrations in a select number of States would seek to improve outcomes including

education, health, and employment for children with disabilities who are recipients under the Supplemental Security Income program and their families by improving the coordination and increasing the use of existing services.

Additional budget information:

Link to the FY2012 Budget http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/budget

Link to FY2012 Budget Fact Sheet, Department of Education http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/factsheet_department_education/

Link to FY2012 Budget Fact Sheet, Winning the Future for People with Disabilities http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/factsheet/winning-the-future-for-people-with-disabilities

I hope you find this information helpful, and thank you for your dedication to infants, toddlers, children and youth with disabilities and their families.

Yours,

Melody

Melody Musgrove, Ed.D.

Director

Office of Special Education Programs

U.S. Department of Education

550 12th Street SW

Washington, DC 20024

(202)245-7426