The Senate Appropriations Committee approved legislation
proposing funding increases for many education programs, including
the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and the
Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), as well as programs
for Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI).
IDEA
Under IDEA, the Senate Appropriations Committee approved several
increases that should positively affect school-based OT, PT
and SLP professionals. For IDEA Part B Grants to States, the
Committee is proposing a $1 billion or 13.2% increase over Fiscal
Year (FY) 2002 funding bringing the FY2003 appropriation to
over $8.5 billion dollars. This continues the record proposed
increases in the Part B program over the past several years.
Since IDEA was reauthorized in 1997, funding for Part B has
nearly doubled from $3.8 billion in FY1998 to the current $7.5
billion for FY2002. The proposed FY2003 funding level now brings
the federal share of providing a free and appropriate education
for disabled children to 19.2%. OT, Pt and SLPs should be well
versed on the fact that the federal government has promised
to fund 40% of the costs of IDEA since the Act was first passed
in 1976.
In addition to the large proposed increase in state grants,
ASHA successfully advocated the Senate Appropriations Committee
for increases in the Part C Infants and Toddlers program and
the Part D Personnel Preparation program. The Part C program
will receive a proposed $20 million or 4.8% increase over the
2002 funding level of $417 million. This represents the second
year of substantial increases for this early intervention program
bringing the proposed funding to $437 million for FY2003. ASHA
argued that Part C funding is a key element in promoting the
President's early literacy programs to adequately identify,
assess, and provide appropriate intervention for young children
with developmental and acquired communication disorders.
For the Part D Leadership and Personnel Preparation grant programs,
ASHA members and staff convinced the Senate Appropriations Committee
to propose funding for the program at $100 million for FY2003,
a $10 million or 11.1% increase over 2002 funding. This is the
second annual $10 million increase in proposed funding for the
Part D Personnel Preparation grant program. Prior to last year's
funding increase, Part D had not received an increase in funding
in almost a decade. Again, ASHA successfully argued that new
education initiatives, such as the President's early literacy
programs and increases in Part B funding, will dramatically
increase the need for qualified education personnel with specialties
in communication disorders, reading, and literacy improvement.
Part D funding will also help alleviate the growing doctoral
shortage being experienced at our nation's colleges and universities.
EHDI
The federal Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI)
program appears to be on track for a significant increase in
funding. The Senate Appropriations Committee rejected President
Bush's proposal to cancel funding for the EHDI program under
the Health Resources Services Administration (HRSA) and consolidate
this program into the Maternal and Child Health Block Grant
program. Instead, the Committee has proposed increasing program
funds by just over $3 million for FY2003 to $13 million or a
30% increase over 2002 funding. The proposed funding level for
the EHDI program at the National Center on Birth Defects and
Developmental Disabilities is not currently available. In early
May, ASHA coordinated the development of a letter to all members
of Congress signed by 30 national consumer and professional
organizations supporting an increase in EHDI program funding
in the FY2003 budget. ASHA President Nancy Creaghead also testified
before the House Appropriations Committee in the beginning of
May and submitted her remarks to Senate Appropriations Committee
members on increasing EHDI and IDEA funding. In addition, to
further help assist the interested individuals and organizations
to promote a consistent message on EHDI funding to Capitol Hill,
ASHA coordinated development of an issue brief that includes
talking points with citations. The EHDI issue brief, talking
points, FY2003 joint letter, and testimony are available at
the EHDI Action Center on ASHA's Web site at: http://professional.asha.org/resources/legislative/ih_index.cfm.
EARLY LITERACY
Finally, the Senate Appropriations Committee approved proposed
funding levels for the President's Early Reading First and Reading
First literacy programs. The Early Reading First program will
continue to receive $75 million and the Reading First program
will receive $1 billion, a $100 million or 11.1% increase for
FY2003. The Early Reading First program is a competitive grant
program operated by the U.S. Department of Education targeting
children 3-5 years old. The Reading First program is a federal
to state formula program with a subsequent intra-state competitive
grant targeting children 6-8 years old.
Submitted by: David
E. Yoder |
