COPAA has issued the following policy alert regarding the impending sequestration:
All indications are that Sequestration will begin tomorrow
With no deal on the table in Congress, the automatic, across-the-board spending cuts known as sequestration are now scheduled to take effect tomorrow, March 1, 2013.
According to Education Secretary Arne Duncan, $600 million will be cut from federal special education funding, requiring states and districts to figure out a way to fund approximately 7,200 teachers, aides, and other staff, putting services and supports to students with disabilities significantly at risk. Though most schools would not be immediately impacted since funding for this academic year has largely been dispersed already, cuts could begin soon.
US Department of Education overall State by State Analysis can be found at:
http://www.ed.gov/blog/2013/02/sequestration-would-hurt-students-teachers-and-schools/
IDEA MoneyWatch Part B reductions by state: http://ideamoneywatch.com/balancesheet/?p=589
COPAA members are urged to send your elected officials in Congress a message asking for a balanced approach to spending reductions and to avoid any reductions to federal funding for IDEA.
Use Contacting the Congress to find your members of Congress.
Please - take 5 minutes today; forward this message to your networks, and contact Congress.
Thank you for your advocacy!