DDC gathers close to 1,000 signatures for IDEA campaign
By MARIAN A. MARAYA
Staff Reporter
The Governor’s Developmental Disabilities Council transmitted yesterday close to a thousand signatures gathered from various CNMI agencies in support of a petition to fully fund the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.
The nationwide campaign to secure more federal share for the benefit of students with disabilities led by the National Campaign to Fully Fund the IDEA aims to raise annual IDEA allotment to 40 percent from the current 13 percent.
According to NCFFI, the 13 percent federal share falls short of the funds needed to assist states and territories in providing special education and related services to students with disabilities.
At the current rate, each pupil with disabilities is only entitled to $770 per year whereas a 27 percent hike from the existing share could raise each child’s yearly allotment to $2,511.
The IDEA was founded to ensure that all children with disabilities have access to appropriate public education that emphasizes special education and related services.
The act has benefited thousands of American children with disabilities since 1975 through the provision of special education programs.
Though IDEA has contributed immeasurably to the children’s development and improved communities, the program is the most underfunded program in America’s history, according to NCFFI.
Petitions collected from U.S. states and territories are set to be submitted to the incoming U.S. president in January 2001.
NCFFI’s goal is to collect at least one million signatures nationwide.
GDDC has expressed gratitude to volunteers who have assisted the council gather petition signatures.
The House of Representatives also authored a resolution urging President Clinton and the U.S. Congress to fully fund the IDEA.
A copy of the resolution will be transmitted to the president and U.S. House Speaker J. Dennis Hastert and U.S. Senate Pro Tempore Strom Thurmond.
