School district leaders have told us that adequate special education funding is one of their top priorities for this legislative session. OSBA is part of a coalition of education partners and disability rights groups who have worked together over the past few months to push for increased funding for our students with disabilities.
Important hearings in the next 10 days will address different areas of special education funding. We are concentrating our efforts in four areas of special education funding:
- The 11% of enrollment cap on special education funding.
- The High Cost Disability Fund.
- Early Intervention/Early Childhood Special Education (often shortened to EI/ECSE).
- Regional Inclusive Services.
On Monday, Feb. 10, Senate Bill 868 is scheduled for a vote in the Senate Education Committee. The bill would create a formula for adequate funding for Regional Inclusive Services, which help schools serve students with low-incidence disabilities.
On Wednesday, Feb. 12, the Oregon Department of Education will give an informational session in the House Education Committee about the state of special education funding. They offered a shortened version during a rushed December Legislative Days hearing that was packed with illuminating data.
Among the main things to understand is that the State School Fund allocates schools a double amount per student who is on an individualized education plan. Oregon caps the double payment, though, at 11% of enrollment. The state and national average is about 15% of enrollment. In the 2022-23 school year, districts did not receive the double weight for 19,447 students on an IEP, according to ODE.
The High Cost Disability Fund reimburses districts when the cost to educate a student with special needs exceeds $30,000, but the fund doesn’t have sufficient resources to fully pay the high costs. For 2024-25, the reimbursement is projected to be about 40%.
On Feb. 17, the House Education Committee is tentatively planning to hear House Bill 2953, which would raise the cap and add funding, and HB 2448, which would increase the high-cost disability reimbursement. OSBA will testify in full support of these bills.
HB 2682 to address EI/ECSE is in the Joint Ways and Means Education Subcommittee awaiting a hearing.
OSBA is committed to providing additional resources to our districts to better serve all our students.
– Adrienne Anderson
OSBA legislative services
