Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Special Education Funding topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Royal Oak Schools board urges Congress to fully fund IDEA
Summary
On Feb. 13 the Royal Oak Schools Board of Education unanimously approved a resolution calling on Congress to enact the IDEA Full Funding Act and for the state to increase school funding, after Superintendent Fitzpatrick reviewed a multi-decade funding gap for special education.
The Royal Oak Schools Board of Education voted Feb. 13 to call on Congress to fully fund the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, approving a resolution urging passage of the IDEA Full Funding Act and asking the state legislature to provide “adequate, equitable, and sustainable” funding increases.
Superintendent Denise Fitzpatrick summarized the board’s action and the reason for it: “The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, IDEA, was passed in 1975; the federal government committed to pay 40% of the average per pupil expenditure for special education,” she said, adding that the current federal contribution is “approximately 10.7%.”
The resolution notes that the federal pledge has never been met, that the shortfall forces districts to shift local funds to cover special education costs, and that the gap has compounded across five decades. Trustee Wicking moved the resolution; Trustee Cook seconded. The motion passed on a voice vote.
Why it matters: Royal Oak officials said the funding gap requires the district to reallocate money from other programs to meet legal obligations for students with disabilities and to provide services that affect all students. Fitzpatrick told the board that she would provide any additional exact historical figures on request. Trustee Anderson asked whether copies of the approved resolution would be sent to the district’s legislators; board members agreed they would.
Discussion and context: Trustees spoke briefly in support. Trustee Cook said the federal funding the district receives for IDEA remains “woefully short of the promise” but emphasized that the funding the district does receive is “important to supporting all of our students.” Trustee Wiki asked whether any year met the 40% goal; Fitzpatrick replied, “No. It has not,” and offered to follow up with precise historical figures.
Next steps: The board approved the resolution and indicated it will distribute copies to elected officials. The resolution text asks Congress to create a 10‑year mandatory path to full IDEA funding and asks the state legislature for sustainable funding increases to mitigate decades of underfunding.
