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Alaska Wants Promised Federal Funds

(JUNEAU) - The Alaska Senate unanimously passed a resolution today asking Congress to provide special education funding that it promised, but never paid, to Alaska.

In passing the 1976 Individuals with Disabilities Education Act Congress, Congress ensured free and appropriate education to students of all abilities. In the act, Congress also promised to pay 40 percent of states' costs for special education.

"Even though Alaska has provided the mandated special education services, Congress has failed to live up to its promise of providing funding to cover part of the costs," said Sen. Lyda Green (R-Matanuska-Susitna), chair of the Senate Health, Education and Social Services Committee. "We are not asking for additional funding, only for what we were promised 25 years ago."

Senate Joint Resolution 26, sponsored by the Senate Health, Education and Social Services Committee, urges President George W. Bush and Congress to provide the promised special education funds.

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