Sorry for the delay in postings. Last week I was lying on a beach in Florida and largely took a break from the computer. It wasn't easy, but I highly recommend it.
One piece of news that happened while I was away was an amendment proposed in the U.S. House of Representatives to fully fund the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Back in 1975, Congress committed to provide 40 percent of the cost, with states and school districts making up the difference. But federal funding has typically been less than 20 percent.
"For far too long, our nation’s schools have been waiting patiently for Congress to fulfill its promise to fully fund special education," Rep. John Kline (R-Minn.) said in introducing the amendment. "By fully funding special education, we would free up desperately needed funds schools across America could use to address their specific needs – whether it is state of the art classrooms, additional teachers, or new textbooks."
President Obama and Vice President Biden support fully funding IDEA early in the campaign. Toward the tale end of the campaign, Sen. McCain and Gov. Palin also expressed support for IDEA. So I hope that Congress, the White House, and advocates on both political sides can pass this important legislation. What do you think -- is the economic mess an opportunity to make the case for this investment? Or will opponents use the economy as a reason to reject it?
Read more at Rep. Kline's blog. Or let him know what you think on his Facebook page.
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