New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo has proposed a funding change for schools that serve children with disabilities.
The governor’s Executive Budget for fiscal year 2011-12, which begins April 1, calls for the elimination of direct state funding to schools for children who are deaf, blind and physically challenged. The proposal would shift the $100 million cost of 11 specialized schools from the state to local school districts, creating an unfunded mandate for the districts that refer children to those schools to come up with the funds themselves.
The proposal also alters the approval process for attending these schools by requiring parents to bring their children to their local school districts for an evaluation rather than taking them directly to the specialized schools.
The Mill Neck Manor School for the Deaf on Long Island, one of the schools affected by the change, said in a statement that these changes would have a “direct, negative and lasting effect” on schools.
The statement says the change could delay payments to the schools, cause a financial burden for school districts and reduce the effectiveness of evaluations.
“A child who is deaf, blind or physically challenged did not cause the state's $10 billion deficit...so is it fair to jeopardize their education by eliminating state funding to save a paltry 1%? No - it's unfair, unjust and unacceptable,” the school said.
Three of the targeted schools are located in the Bronx: Lavelle School for the Blind, St. Joseph’s School for the Deaf and New York Institute for Special Education.
State Senator Jeff Klein, whose district includes the Bronx, said, “I am proud that these schools are a large part of New York’s education system and believe that the state should continue to support them.”
“Circumstances such as these require all stakeholders to come together and identify a fair, equitable, and predictable funding process for these critically important institutions,” Klein added.
The schools affected by the change include eight private schools for children who are deaf or have hearing impairments, two for students who are blind and visually impaired and may have other disabilities and one for students with physical disabilities and impaired health.
They include the New York State School for the Blind, the New York State School for the Deaf, the Cleary School for the Deaf, the Henry Viscardi School, the Lexington School for the Deaf, the Rochester School for the Deaf, the St. Francis deSales School for the Deaf and St. Mary's School for the Deaf.
The schools are currently regulated by section 4201 of the state’s Education Law and are known as "4201 schools." The proposal would re-categorize them from state-supported private schools to special education services under section 4410.
Advocates have started a petition online to oppose the changes at: http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/save-ny-4201-school-funding/.
According to a statement in the petition, “With many school districts struggling with deep cuts, the 4201 schools are concerned that they will not choose to pay tuition to send students to our schools. Instead, they may opt to keep students in their own programs.”
The document also notes, “The 4201 schools are concerned that school districts may not have the expertise to conduct quality assessments and to develop appropriate Individualized Education Programs for students.”
The changes, if approved, would take effect in June 2012.
This article was published in the April 2011 issue of Able News. Update coming soon.
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