Advocates for students with disabilities are growing concerned, as a Tennessee proposal to consider rejecting roughly $1.8 billion in federal education funds moves through the legislature.
Part of the money Tennessee is considering rejecting serves students with special needs. Jolene Sharp of the Tennessee Council on Developmental Disabilities said rejecting the money could destabilize the systems those kids rely on.
“The stakes for students with disabilities couldn’t be higher,” she said.
She said federal funds administered through the Individuals with Education Act, known as IDEA, guarantee these students access to free and appropriate public education.
IDEA funds provide a menu of services, Sharp said, offering anything from individualized learning plans to speech therapists and extra teaching assistants.
House Speaker Cameron Sexton has said Tennessee could cover the cost of the rejected funds and avoid federal regulations by creating its own system.
But Sharp, whose fourth grade daughter has Down syndrome, has her doubts.
“I can’t imagine that unhinging the state from those federal guidelines would be anything short of hugely disruptive to that entire structure and framework that really guides the whole way that she accesses her education services.”
Right now, Sexton’s bill, HB 1249, would create a politically appointed group to study the idea. It would be made up of two teachers, two directors of schools, the commissioner of education and six lawmakers, all selected by Republican leaders.
But Sharp said the group fails to include representation for students with disabilities.
“Because this issue would have such an impact on students with disabilities, we would love to see any group that’s looking at the issue include the direct perspective of students with disabilities and the special education part of our system.“
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