Opinion
Special Education Letter to the Editor

Boost IDEA Funding

March 03, 2020 1 min read
  • Save to favorites
  • Print

To the Editor:

As an occupational therapy student, I have concerns about the funding schools are currently receiving. (“Why the Feds Still Fall Short on Special Education Funding,” Jan. 10, 2020). I believe federal funding for the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) should be granted in full.

The goal of this act was to provide children with disabilities the same education opportunities as students without disabilities. However with funding cuts, this promise is not being fulfilled. I understand that special education needs and expenses vary by state, but that is no reason to cut funding short.

Students with disabilities must receive special services provided by speech, physical, and occupational therapists within the school system. School-based occupational therapists focus on improving students’ self-care, academic, and social-interaction skills. If federal funding keeps following this downhill trend, it will limit the tools (assistive devices, handwriting devices, sensory tools, etc.) we can use in providing the best therapy interventions. Worst case scenario, it may reduce the number of occupational, physical, and speech therapists serving students with disabilities, which will ultimately cause a decline in their education. School-based therapy primarily addresses concentrating on tasks, verbally participating in class, and mental-health concerns, so without support services, the classroom will be an overstimulating environment for children with behavior and attention deficits, hindering their education and that of their peers.

We need to draw more attention to IDEA funding so that special education resources are available to students with disabilities to provide them the education they deserve, and to guarantee they receive occupational, physical, and speech therapy services.

Colleen Andris

Occupational Therapy Student

University of Pittsburgh

Hatfield, Pa.

A version of this article appeared in the March 04, 2020 edition of Education Week as Boost IDEA Funding

Events

This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Assessment Webinar
Reflections on Evidence-Based Grading Practices: What We Learned for Next Year
Get real insights on evidence-based grading from K-12 leaders.
Content provided by Otus
Mathematics Webinar How to Build Students’ Confidence in Math
Learn practical tips to build confident mathematicians in our webinar.
Student Achievement K-12 Essentials Forum How to Build and Scale Effective K-12 State & District Tutoring Programs
Join this free virtual summit to learn from education leaders, policymakers, and industry experts on the topic of high-impact tutoring.

EdWeek Top School Jobs

Teacher Jobs
Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide — elementary, middle, high school and more.
View Jobs
Principal Jobs
Find hundreds of jobs for principals, assistant principals, and other school leadership roles.
View Jobs
Administrator Jobs
Over a thousand district-level jobs: superintendents, directors, more.
View Jobs
Support Staff Jobs
Search thousands of jobs, from paraprofessionals to counselors and more.
View Jobs

Read Next

Special Education Spotlight Spotlight on Neurodiversity in K12: Supporting Every Learner's Success
This Spotlight will help you explore effective strategies for supporting neurodiverse students, fostering inclusive environments, and more.
Special Education Why Trump's Move to Shift Special Ed. to HHS Is Rattling Educators
Current and former staffers are wary of vague plans to move special education out of the Education Department.
9 min read
Professionals stand on an arrow that shifts from one parallel line to another, illustrating the concept of a realignment. One person is dressed as healthcare professional.
mathisworks/DigitalVision Vectors
Special Education How Schools Make Up for the Feds' Unfulfilled Special Ed. Funding Commitment
Congress has never met a 50-year-old funding commitment it made for special education services.
6 min read
Vector of a teacher hand holding puzzle piece bridging the gap in primary education for children
iStock/Getty Images
Special Education What Educators Need to Know About Dyslexia—and Why It's Not Something to 'Fix'
Curing dyslexia isn't an option, say experts. But with today's resources, there's a lot of reason for optimism.
6 min read
Illustration of a young woman looking up at a very large wave of letters, numbers, pencils, and paint brushes looming over her head.
iStock/Getty