Education Mandates Pose Financial Stress

By Kia Hall Hayes; Journal Staff Writer

The city seeks a repeal of special education laws which it says outnumber those in the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.

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WOONSOCKET – City officials are considering a resolution asking the state to repeal 45 special education laws that are not financed and are more restrictive than those imposed by the federal government.

City Council Vice President Brian R. Blais, who plans to introduce the legislation Monday night, said it’s an action other municipalities may take to minimize unfinanced mandates that aren’t required or exceed federal law.

“In an era of tight budgets, communities across the state are bonding together to ask the state to repeal,” those mandates that go beyond those in the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, he said.

The councilman noted that when IDEA was reauthorized in 2004, the federal government directed states to identify and minimize any deviations from the federal law. The resolution is inspired by similar legislation approved by East Providence last fall. The hope is that this resolution will incite a groundswell of support from other communities, he said.

“We’ve reached a situation where there needs to be a fundamental reform on how education is funded,” Blais said.

Faced with those 45 state spe cial education laws and other federal mandates, as well as increases in health insurance and teacher pension costs, the district is asking for a 5.25 percent increase from the City Council – the maximum that school districts can receive from municipal governments.

Included in its $66.3-million budget request is $3.2 million for special-needs students’ out-of-district placements, $1.1 million for their transportation and $4.4 million for special education teachers and teachers assistants.

But city and school officials say some of those costs could be reduced if the 45 laws are repealed or changed. One of the laws, for example, requires that students in out-of-district placements be transported in full-sized school buses.

Massachusetts and other states allow school districts to use smaller buses or vans to transport those students for less. Often it’s only one student riding on the buses, which cost the district more than $50,000 for each bus.

Other laws outline housekeeping standards, ideal temperature settings for classrooms and curriculum requirements. Many of the laws are duplications of federal policies that are already being followed. Others are simply outdated, officials say.

School Committee Chairman Marc A. Dubois said the laws are among a steadily increasing pile of state and federal mandates that remain in place while the state-imposed cap on school funding continues to fall.

“It’s ridiculous, something has to give,” he said.

Supt. Maureen B. Macera said some of the laws do too little. One law requiring that students earn only half of a credit in computer science is outdated for these modern times.

“Some of these have been on the books for years,” she said.

Whether the laws are repealed or updated, Macera said the district remains committed to providing a quality education to all students, and would not do anything detrimental to students in special education programs.

The state needs to look at the laws and determine the rationale behind them and their usefulness today, she said.

“In these difficult economic times, we need to look at ways to better serve [students] efficiently and effectively,” Macera said.

khayes@projo.com / (401) 277-7469

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