COLLABORATIVE ACTIVITIES REGARDING FUNDING FOR RESIDENTIALLY PLACED STUDENTS

Note to Members: These letters have been sent to Chairman Rogers and Speaker Finneran, with copies to Representative Peter Larkin and Representative Marie St. Fleur.

The Honorable John Rogers
House Ways and Means Chairman
State House - Room 243
Boston, MA 02133

Dear Chairman Rogers:

The organizations listed below oppose Governor Romney's proposal to cut critical state aid to public school districts and the state's most disabled and disadvantaged students. Outside sections 300 and 301 of House 1 would result in a reduction in state aid of $14,402 for every Massachusetts student in special education residential schools. With approximately 1,400 students, that's a cut of over $20 million.

Students with disabilities are placed in special education residential schools only after the parents and public schools have decided that the student's educational needs can only be met in the highly specialized programs found in residential schools. These students have sever learning, physical or emotional disabilities which require complex and unique instruction and treatment around the clock; something that can only be done in a residential setting. The proposal also changes the state aid formulas to deny public school districts funds for not keeping these students in the public school. It is unfair to both the school district and the disabled student.

We ask the members of the House of Representatives to reject the Governor's proposal and reaffirm the decision it and the Senate made in their FY '03 budgets to adopt a placement neutral funding formula and fund fully the circuit breaker account. The Legislature's proposal would give public schools the funds they need regardless of the student's placement needs. It also let's public school make the right educational decisions for the right reasons and leaves the dollar sign out of the decision making process.

Sincerely Yours,

James V. Major, Executive Director
Massachusetts Association of 766 Approved Private Schools

Ms. Carla Jentz, Executive Director
Massachusetts Administrators for Special Education

Mr. Chris Martes, Executive Director
Massachusetts Association of Schools Superintendents

Mr. Michael Savage, President
Massachusetts Organization of Educational Collaboratives

cc: Representative Peter Larkin
     Representative Marie St. Fleur

March 10, 2003

The Honorable Thomas Finneran
Speaker of the House
State House
Boston, MA 02133

Dear Speaker Finneran:

The organizations listed below oppose Governor Romney's proposal to cut critical state aid to public school districts and the state's most disabled and disadvantaged students. Outside sections 300 and 301 of House 1 would result in a reduction in state aid of $14,402 for every Massachusetts student in special education residential schools. With approximately 1,400 students, that's a cut of over $20 million.

Students with disabilities are placed in special education residential schools only after the parents and public schools have decided that the student's educational needs can only be met in the highly specialized programs found in residential schools. These students have sever learning, physical or emotional disabilities which require complex and unique instruction and treatment around the clock; something that can only be done in a residential setting. The proposal also changes the state aid formulas to deny public school districts funds for not keeping these students in the public school. It is unfair to both the school district and the disabled student.

We ask the members of the House of Representatives to reject the Governor's proposal and reaffirm the decision it and the Senate made in their FY '03 budgets to adopt a placement neutral funding formula and fund fully the circuit breaker account. The Legislature's proposal would give public schools the funds they need regardless of the student's placement needs. It also let's public school make the right educational decisions for the right reasons and leaves the dollar sign out of the decision making process.

Sincerely Yours,

James V. Major, Executive Director
Massachusetts Association of 766 Approved Private Schools

Ms. Carla Jentz, Executive Director
Massachusetts Administrators for Special Education

Mr. Chris Martes, Executive Director
Massachusetts Association of Schools Superintendents

Mr. Michael Savage, President
Massachusetts Organization of Educational Collaboratives

cc: Representative Peter Larkin
     Representative Marie St. Fleur