Most Disabled get the Shortest Straw
Federal and State law require that children with disabilities be provided a free and appropriate education. When a school district does not have the resources or the skill set to provide that education, it must purchase the education from a Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) approved non-public special education school. Each year, the MSDE approves the daily tuition rate for those schools down to the very exact cent.
Costs for heating and air have gone up. Costs for delivery of all things cost more. Health care costs have risen. Staff hope for some salary increase to cover the cost of inflation. Public school budgets are rising between 4-6%. Inflation this past December was at 2.7%. It is now 3.3%.
The Governor who praised himself as the education Governor, has chosen to FREEZE the tuition for non-public special education schools for the 26-27 school year. These schools serve the most-disabled kids, yet the Governor has chosen to freeze any increase for the cost of their education.
Under Maryland law, the State must maintain fiscal effort for education. Consequently, every Governor gets to say he has provided more money for education than any other governor. It’s the law but the governor gets to brag about that.
Not so for the most disabled children that our State serves. Children don't get to attend a non-public special ed school unless the district says it can't provide the appropriate education. Yet tuition for these kids doesn’t count as education. Their teachers are not unionized so their teachers get a raise only at the benevolence of the Governor. This year- not happening.
Long ago I was told that the pigs first to the trough get the most money. Our kids have significant disabilities. By the time they get to the trough, most of the food is gone.
No comments:
Post a Comment