Special Education Could See Close to $1 Billion Increase in Final Spending Deal
Early yesterday morning, Congress released the text of a bipartisan spending package for Fiscal Year (FY) 2023, the fiscal year which officially began on October 1. The massive year-end agreement, which includes appropriations as well as a wide range of additional priorities, is coming together just in the nick of time as Congress winds down the 117th session this week. The bill will increase education spending by $3 billion, significantly less than the amount proposed by the Biden-Harris Administration, but more than last year’s increase. Nearly $1 billion of that increase is directed toward programs that support infants, toddlers, children, and youth with disabilities and the personnel who support them, almost twice the increase that special education received for Fiscal year 2022.
CEC is a leading voice in advocating for increased funding for the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and programs that support the educator pipeline and gifted and talented students. Through ongoing strategic meetings with appropriators, leadership on coalitions including the IDEA Full Funding Coalition, and through valued grassroots advocates within the CEC Membership, we are proud to see these increases.
“We appreciate the progress shown for special education funding in this omnibus package, even though it does not meet the full-funding promise of IDEA,” said Chad Rummel, CEC Executive Director. “We could not have garnered this increase had it not been to the many CEC members and advocates who sent letters and met with member of Congress and their staff to push forward our message of supporting inclusive and equitable education for individuals with disabilities.”
Below are details about the programs that CEC advocates for proactively (numbers are rounded):
| Program | FY 2021 | FY 2022 | FY 2023 | $ increase |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| IDEA Part B grants to states | $12.9 billion | $13.3 billion | $14.2 billion | $850 million |
| IDEA Part B preschool grants | $398 million | $410 million | $420 million | $10.5 million |
| IDEA Part C infants and toddlers | $482 million | $496 million | $540 million | $44 million |
| IDEA Part D personnel preparation | $90 million | $95 million | $115 million | $20 million |
| Javits Gifted and Talented Grants Program | $13.5 million | $14.5 million | $16.5 million | $2 million |
| National Center for Special Education Research | $58.5 million | $60.3 million | $64.3 million | $4 million |
Congress is expected to swiftly pass the omnibus appropriations bill this week so it can be signed into law before the end of the 117th session.
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